LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ' 

Chap. * 

SAetf iEE»- 



GARDENER'S 
MONTHLY VOLUME. 

THE PINE APPLE; 

ITS CULTURE, USES, AND HISTORY. 



BY GEORGE W. JOHNSON, 

thor of i£ The Dictionary of Modern Gardening,'' " Gardener's 
Almanack," &c. ; and 

JAMES BARNES, 

Gardener to Lady Rolle, Bicton, Devonshire. 



VOL. I 



LONDON 

R. BALDWIN, PATERNOSTER ROW. 

WINCHESTER: 
H. WO OLD RIDGE, HIGH-STREET. 

DUBLIN : 

W. AND G. ROBERTSON. 




1847. 




H. WOOLDRIDGE, PRINTER, WINCHESTER. 



CONTENTS. 



History. Native place. First notice, 1. Name: brought 
to England, 2. First eaten by Cromwell; first ripened 
here by Rose, 3. First successfully cultivated by Le 
Cour, 4. Cultivation established in England, 5. In Ire- 
land and Scotland, 6. Giles and Taylor, on its culture, 7. 
Bastard, Speechley, and Griffin, 8. Baldwin, &c. ; Steam 
as a source of heat, 9. Loudon, Glendinning, and Hamil- 
ton, 10. Importation from the West Indies, 11. Not 
difficult of cultivation, 12. Culture in France, Meudon, 
&c, 13. Versailles, 16. 

Botanical Characters, 20. Neither tender nor short- 
lived, 21. 

Varieties, 22—43. 

Characteristics of Excellence. Size, Crown, &c., 44. 
Queen, Moscow Queen, Black Jamaica, 45. Green 
Olive, Enville, Gld Globe, 46. Russian Globe, Provi- 
dence, 47. Increase of size compatible with excellence, 
48. Promotion of keeping, 49. 

Modes of Propagation. Seeds, 50. Seedlings do not re- 
semble parent, 51. Speechley's directions, 52. Suckers, 
53. Drying them objectionable, 56. Suckers from 
plants not potted, best, 58. Hamilton's mode of treating 
them, 59. Potting them, 61. Crowns, 62. Cuttings of 
stem, G4. 



CONTENTS. 



Soil and Manures. Brown's experiments, 66. Soil, 
where native in Brazil, 67. Soil in Bahamas, 68. Ana- 
lysis, 69. Best soil for artificial culture, 70. Barnes's 
recommendation, 71. Giles' and Taylor's opinions, 72. 
Speechley, 73. Griffin, 74. Baldwin and Glendinning, 
75. Mills, Hamilton, and Dodemeade, 76. Norwood 
loam, 77. Oldacre — powdered bones, 79. Composts 
objectionable, 80. Liquid manure, 80. Growing in 
moss, 81. Manures, 83. Stock of liquid manure, 84. 
Soot, 85. Salt, 86. 

Pits and Stoves. New fruiting structure, 87. Fermenting 
matters beneficial, 90. Pitch of roof, 91. Heating by 
fermenting matters, 92. Paxton's cheapest pit, 93. 
Knight's pit, 94. Macnaughten's, 95. Fire heat — 
Stewart's pit, 97. Fire and fermenting matters ; For- 
man's pit, 98. Hot water in pipes — Henderson's pit, 
99. Bamford Hall, 101. Hamilton's, 103. Hot water 
in gutters — Heweil's pit, 104. Hot water in tanks, 105. 
Rendle's pit, 107. Tank and pipes combined — Trent- 
ham, 108. Stove for pines, vines, &c, 109. Steam, 
112. 

Culture. Perfection of culture, 113. Time occupied by 
ripening, &c, 114. Bottom heat, its importance, 115. 
Knight's idea of no bottom heat, 116. His routine, 117. 
Giving large pots, 120. Atmospheric moisture, 122. 
Heat from air above, 123. Bicton pit, 124. Shading 
most necessary formerly, 127. Tanner's bark for bottom 
heat, 128. Its temperature, 129. Dall's mode of filling 
between pots, 131. Oak leaves, 132. Surface covering, 
133. 



THE PINE APPLE. 



HISTORY. 

This Queen of Fruits is found wild in the tropical 
latitudes of America, Asia, and Africa. Tradition 
says that, being native of the first of the above-named 
of the earth's quarters, it was thence exported to the 
others ; and this tradition is uncontroverted by the 
earliest of the botanical writers to whom it became 
known. They appear not to have become acquainted 
with it until the commencement of the 1 7th century ; 
for neither Lyte (in 15/8) nor Gerard (in 1597) no- 
tice the pine apple in their " Herballs," published in 
those years respectively ; but Johnson, in his edition 
of Gerard, which issued from the press in 1633, 
figures and describes it as follows : — " Ananas pineas, 
the pinia, or pine thistle, is a plant having leaves like 
the aizoon aquaticum, or water sengreene. The meat 
of this fruit is sweet, and very pleasant of taste, yield- 
ing good nourishment. There are certain small fibres 
in the meat, which, though they do not offend the 

B 



2 



mouth, yet hurt the gums of such as too frequently 
feed thereon." The woodcut demonstrates that it is 
the pine apple to which his observations refer. 

Parkinson, in his " Theatrum Botanicum," pub- 
lished in 1640, is much more copious in his descrip- 
tion, more accurate in his delineation, and gives much 
more information concerning its history. He calls it 
" Anana seu Pina, the West Indian delicious Pine 
and proceeds to state that it was-first brought from 
Santa Cruz, in Brazil, where it grows wild ; and was 
thence introduced to the East and West Indies, being 
not a native of either. In Brazil, it was called by 
the natives nana and anana, but by the Spaniards 
and Portuguese pinas. Parkinson, however, knew 
little of its properties, speaking of them only by re- 
port, and enumerating as among them, that if the 
blade of a knife be left sticking in one of them, that 
portion of the blade will next day be found corroded 
entirely away. It was certainly not then cultivated 
in this country, for we had then no glazed structures, 
which we know are necessary for its successful culti- 
vation ; and Parkinson does not even mention it in 
his great gardening book, the " Paradisus," published 
in 1656. 

It was first introduced into England by Mr. Ben- 
tick, afterwards Earl of Portsmouth, in 1 690,' but 
merely as a plant worthy of being added to our great 
national botanical collection, and without any sugges- 



3 



tion that it might he cultivated as a dessert fruit. 
(Hortus Kew.) 

Yet the fruit of the pine apple had been made 
known in England in 1657 ; for an embassage return- 
ing to this country from China, in that year, appears 
to have brought pine apples thence as a present to 
Oliver Cromwell. John NieuhofF, who was secretary 
to the embassy, describes the fruit very correctly ; 
and Evelyn, in his " Diary," under the date of 9th 
August, 1661, says, "I first saw the famous Queen 
pine brought from Barbadoes, and presented to his 
Majesty (Charles II.) ; but the first that were ever 
seen in England were those sent to Cromwell four 
years since. "* 

It may be that from the crowns of this, and of 
others mentioned by Evelyn as sent to the king from 
the West Indies, in 1668, that Mr. John Rose, his 
Majesty's gardener, succeeded in raising a fruit of 
the pine apple in this country. We say it may be, 
because there is a portrait, in oil colours, of Rose, at 
Kensington Palace, representing him giving a pine 
apple to Charles II. Rose was then gardener to the 
Duchess of Cleveland, and the garden in which the 
present is being made was that at her Grace's seat, 
Downey Court, Buckinghamshire. f We do not know 

* Evelyn makes no mention of the pine apple even in the 3rd 
edition of his " French Gardener/ ' published in 1672. 

f There is a copy of this in water colours in the Library of 
the London Horticultural Society. 



4 

whether this is the same, or a duplicate of a similar 
picture, once in the possession of Earl Waldegrave, 
and which, Walpole says, was bequeathed by Mr. 
London, Rose's apprentice, to the Rev. Mr. Penni- 
cott, of Thames Ditton, by whom it was given to 
himself. 

If Rose was sufficiently skilful, or so fortunate, as 
to ripen a pine apple in England, it became immedi- 
ately afterwards a lost art, for neither Evelyn, London, 
Wise, Rea, or Switzer, speak of it as an object of cul- 
tivation. Soon after Switzer ceased to publish, in 
1732, its cultivation was successfully attempted in 
Holland. This was by M. Le Cour (or La Court, as 
written by Collinson), a wealthy Flemish merchant, 
who had an excellent garden at Drieoech, near 
Leyden, of which he published an account in 
1732, and died in 1737. This garden was visited by 
Miller and Justice, who speak of its proprietor as one 
of the greatest encouragers of gardening in his time ; 
of his having curious walls and hothouses ; and they 
agree that he was the first person who succeeded in 
cultivating the pine apple. It was from him, Miller 
observes, that our gardeners were first supplied, 
through Sir Matthew Decker, Pine apple plants 
had been introduced into the Amsterdam gardens 
long previously, whither some of the plants were 
brought from the Dutch East India settlements, but 
more from their colonies at Surinam and Curacoa, in 
the West Indies. In 1712, the number of pine 



5 



plants thus collected amounted to about 200, but, 
though vigorous, they had not yet been brought to a 
fruit-bearing state. Mr. Le Cour, says Bradley, who 
was an eye-witness of these facts, was not discouraged 
by the ill-success of others. He built various stoves, 
and adopted different modes of treatment, until he, 
at length, succeeded in producing and ripening seve- 
ral hundred pines annually ; and the plants (suckers) 
increased so fast, that the gardener raised Mr. Brad- 
ley's wonder by telling him that hundreds were yearly 
thrown away. Though Mr. Le Cour succeeded in 
ripening pines, we should not now say anything in 
commendation of the fruit he produced, since Bradley, 
speaking of the first, says " they were about four 
inches long." 

In 1718, the culture of the pine apple was for the 
first time established in England by Mr. IT. Telencle, 
gardener to Sir Matthew Decker, at Richmond, in 
Surrey. In that year Mr. Bradley saw there forty 
fruiting plants, of which the smallest fruit was four 
inches and the largest seven inches in length. (Brad- 
ley s Gen. Treatise of Husbandry and Gardening, i. 
209.) He planted the suckers in August; they 
bloomed in April, and the fruit w r as ripe in five 
months from the time of its first appearing. His 
pits, built of brickwork, required, for heating, 300 
bushels of bark, and he employed tepid water in sup- 
plying the plants with moisture. Mr. Telende em- 



6 



ployed a thermometer, that he might be certain of 
the temperature he employed ; and to this, Mr. 
Bradley recommends the barometer and hygrometer 
to be added, as guides for the gardener. 

In the Fitzwilliam Museum, at Cambridge, is a 
landscape, by Netcher, in which a pine apple is in- 
troduced, and this is there stated to be the first 
fruited in England, and that it was produced at Sir 
Matthew Decker's ; but if the picture of Eose, before 
noticed, is correct, this is not strictly in accordance 
with facts. 

Passing to the other portions of the British Isles, 
we find that pine apples are said to have been first 
brought to Dublin by a man of the name of Buller, 
who, in the reign of Queen Anne (1702 — 1714), set- 
tled in the vicinity of Dublin, and held an extensive 
nursery in New-street, where traces remain of it to 
this day. 

James Justice, Esq., one of the principal clerks of 
Session in Scotland, first introduced the pine apple 
into that portion of the kingdom, cultivating it in his 
garden, at Crichton, near Dalkeith, but where, it is to 
be regretted, he shortly wasted his fortune by a lavish 
expenditure on rare plants. He died in 1762. The 
cultivation of this fruit was now fully established in 
this country, and we need do little more than enume- 
rate the various separate treatises that have been pub- 
ished on the subject. 



7 



In 1767, John Giles, at one time gardener to Lady 
Boyd, at Lewisham, in Kent, and afterwards foreman 
to Messrs Russell, nurserymen in that village, pub- 
lished "Ananas, or a Treatise on the Pine Apple." It 
is the first really practical work, giving full details of 
the culture of the plant, that issued from the press. 
For, as he observes in his preface, the directions given 
by" Miller, Hill, Meader, and others, were too short 
and imperfect to enable the novice to attain success. 
He gives the plan of a pinery to be heated by the 
combined influence of tan and flues. 

Only two years after Mr. Giles' work, in 1769, ap- 
peared another on the same subject, entitled "A 
treatise on the Ananas or Pine Apple." The author of 
this was Mr. Adam Taylor, gardener to J. Sutton, 
Esq. of New York, near Devizes. He claims for him- 
self the merit of being the first who brought the fruit 
to an improved size and excellence without the aid of 
fire heat. A coloured engraving of the pine apple is 
prefixed to the volume, and, if this be the improved 
size then attained, its predecessors must have been 
small indeed, for it is only six pips high. That this 
was so, we may conclude from the drawing of a pine 
apple published in 1 733, by a gardener, at Kensing- 
ton, named Furber, and this is only four pips in height. 
Taylor's pit is glazed throughout, except at the back, 
and is heated entirely by tanner's bark placed beneath 
the soil. 



8 



W. Bastard Esq. of Kitley, Devon, informed the 
Royal Society, in 1777, that he grew pine apples in 
pots, plunged in cisterns of water instead of the bark 
bed, and that they were much larger and better fla- 
voured in consequence. They, however, required a 
higher temperature, and to be near the glass in the 
upper part of the hothouse, for they would not 
thrive when so plunged in the lower parts of the 
house. (Phil. Transac. ab. xiv. 224.) 

In 1779, Mr. Speechley published his " Treatise 
on the Culture of the Pine Apple," recording in it his 
experience relative to its culture whilst gardener to 
the Duke of Portland, at Welbeck, in Nottingham- 
shire. He combined the culture of the vine with 
that of the pine apple, and his structures are designed 
for that purpose. He gives fuller particulars con- 
cerning the insect enemies of the pine apple than do 
any of his predecessors. 

In 1 806 appeared fC A Treatise on the Culture of the 
Pine Apple," by Mr. W. Griffin, at that time gar- 
dener to J. M. Sutton, Esq. of Kelham, in Notting- 
hamshire, as he was subsequently to S. Smith, Esq. 
of Wood Hall, Herts. This, we consider, displays, 
as a whole, more correct knowledge of the pine apple's 
culture than is gi\ en in any of the works previously 
published. The Queen pine apples which he grew 
averaged more than 5 lbs. in weight, and his New 
Providences attained to full 9lbs. 



9 



Tn 1818 Mr. T. Baldwin, gardener to the Marquis 
of Hertford, at Ragley, in Warwickshire, printed 
" Short Practical Directions for the Culture of the 
Ananas," but as he asked a guinea for those few pages 
he sold very few ; though of manuscript copies, at a 
lower price, he disposed of a considerable number. 
He was considered the best pine grower of his days, 
but we consider his directions in no particular superior 
to those by Mr. Griffin. 

x\bout the time that Mr. Baldwin wrote, Mr. An- 
drews, market gardener, of Vauxhall, adopted steam 
as a mode of heating his pine stoves and pits. 

One of the earliest, if not the earliest instance of 
steam being used as a bottom heat, with which we are 
acquainted, was that by Mr. Butler, gardener to the 
Earl of Derby, at Knowlesly, near Liverpool, in or 
about 1792. It had been used twenty years before, 
but chiefly for other purposes. Speedily, in 1796, 
knew only two instances in which steam was applied 
as bottom heat. 

Mr. John Hay, horticultural architect, also tried 
the use of steam as early as 1 794, when gardener at 
Preston Hall, near Edinburgh, and he says the appli- 
cation of steam to forcing houses early caught his at- 
tention. The first that he designed and executed in 
Scotland on this plan, was at Preston Hall, in Mid- 
Lothian, in the year 1794. The fruiting pine stove, 
which is in the general suit of houses, with two peach 



10 



houses on the west, was originally adapted to steam. 
{Loudon on Pine Apple, 172.) 

In 1822, Mr. London gathered together, in a useful 
but ill-arranged volume, "The different modes of Cul- 
tivating the Pine Apple," and, just previously, the 
highly correct scientific views of Mr. Knight, then 
President of the Horticultural Society of London, 
appeared in its Transactions. 

In 1839, Mr. R. Glendinning, then gardener to 
Lord Rolle, at Bicton, published " Practical Hints on 
the Culture of the Pine Apple/ 5 and though based 
on good practice yet they also have the merit of com- 
bining with this most sound scientific opinions. 

In 1844 and 1845, Mr. Hamilton, gardener to F. 
A. Phillips, Esq. of Thornfield, near Stockport, and 
Mr. G. Mills, gardener to the Baroness de Roths- 
child, of Gunnersbury Park, Middlesex, each pub- 
lished a very excellent " Treatise on the Culture of 
the Pine Apple." 

During the whole of the period these several works 
were being published, various valuable contributions 
to our knowledge of pine culture also appeared in 
periodicals of the day : from these and from the works 
named we have gleaned what we considered original 
and valuable, assigning as far as possible tribute to 
whom tribute is due. 

In 1820, the pine apple began to be sent to England 
in abundance from the West Indies, although the 



11 



shortest passage was then six weeks. This greatly 
lessened their price, and rendered them more com- 
mon. They were sold at fruit-stands in the London 
streets, in one or two places, during the summer 
months ; and moderate-sized fruit were to be had from 
half-a-crown to a crown each ; or at two shillings a 
pound. 

The first importation to London was of 400 Green 
Providence pines from the Bermudas, which were 
purchased by Mr. Mart, fruiterer, in Oxford street. 

The annual importation of this fruit from the West 
Indies, and as it is said from Nassau, in New Provi- 
dence, has increased to many thousands, and they, 
during the season, crowd the fruiterers' stalls, 
fetching from Is. to 6s. each. They are small, and 
mostly ill-grown, many not weighing more than hall 
a pound, and none that we have seen exceeding two 
pounds. Some are in good condition, but many are 
rotten, and must have heated on the passage. To 
what variety they belong it is impossible to say, as 
they are quite unlike the specimens that ripen in this 
country. It is, however, not improbable that they 
are small Providences. (Gard. Chron. 1843, 575.) 

In consequence of the success attending the impor- 
tation of pine apples from the Bahamas in 1844, 
upwards of 10,000 additional acres were set apart for 
their cultivation at New Providence, and about an 
equal quantity at the small Island of Eleuthera in 



12 



1845. In order to improve the cultivation, some 
thousand offsets of the most approved sorts were sent 
over to the West Indies last year from this country, 
and several parties well versed in the cultivation of this 
fruit have proceeded thither to turn that knowledge 
to a profit. 

The taste for the fruit is becoming more excited in 
this country, and now that glass is so reduced in 
price, and better information concerning pine culture 
is diffused, we expect to see it much more generally 
pursued. 

The pine apple has never been so generally culti- 
vated in this country as it might have been, from an 
idea that its culture is attended with more difficulty 
and expense than that of any other fruit ; and, also, 
from the circumstance of the great number of gar- 
deners being ignorant of its cultivation. "With respect 
to the difficulty of cultivating this fruit, every gar- 
dener, who knows any thing about it, knows it is 
much easier grown and fruited than the cucumber 
early in spring, or than the melon at any period of 
the year. In short, with the single difference of requir- 
ing an artificial temperature, it is as easy, or easier, to 
grow than a common cabbage. It is not nearly so 
liable to insects as that plant is in dry seasons ; and 
of two plantations, the one of crowns or suckers of 
pines, and the other of seedling cabbages, we may 
venture to assert, that more of the former will perfect 



13 



their fruit than those of the latter will perfect their 
Wf or head. (Loudon on Pine Apple, 146.) 

The only other country in Europe where the pine 
apple has been spiritedly cultivated is France. 

The establishment of Versailles is the largest in 
France, but that of Meudon is also remarkable for 
excellent culture, and the high state of perfection to 
which this fruit is brought. This is one of the King's 
private establishments • the Chateau is never occupied 
by the Royal family, and M. Pel villain, the chief 
gardener, is allowed the kitchen garden on his own 
account. The pine is his hobby, and he spares no 
trouble or expense in bringing it to perfection ; so 
ardent is his desire to obtain information, that he is 
learning the English language for the express purpose 
of reading our treatises and visiting our country, that 
he may be able to judge for himself of the advantages 
or defects of the different modes of treatment. He 
uses peat, and also adopts the open ground culture ; 
and certainly it would be difficult to find plants more 
vigorous, or finer fruit at Christmas, than he pro- 
duces ; it is no unusual thing to see in his houses 
Providence, Cajenne, and Enville Pines, weighing 
from 81bs. tc lOlbs. The Queens, however, are not 
large, certainly not more than from 21bs. or 3lbs. on 
the average ; these last he grows principally in pots for 
the market. The confectioners of Paris seldom buy 
the larger kinds, they prefer a middle-sized Queen to 



14 



any other ; it would, therefore, be useless for him to 
take any extraordinary trouble in getting this variety 
very large. He has also raised several seedlings 
within the last four years ; one of them was sent out 
about two seasons since; it is not, however, con- 
sidered any great improvement upon the original. 
(Gard. Chron. 1844, 55.) 

Mr. Dunsford, gardener at Copesthorne Gardens, 
writing upon the cultivation of the same French 
establishment, observes, after personal inspection : — 
The pine is grown to perfection at the Meudon gar- 
dens, by M. Pervillian. There, quantity and quality 
are combined, and the whole of the plants are fruited 
without pots, on what is termed the system of open- 
frame culture ; which is a very great saving, both in 
time and expense, as it does away with the cost of 
pots and the trouble of potting, and in a great measure 
with the fermenting materials required for bottom- 
heat. The suckers produced by the fruiting plants 
of last season are allowed to remain on the plant after 
the fruit is cut until the following March, at which 
period, if the plant be a strong one, the sucker, when 
taken off, will be almost a full-grown succession plant. 
These suckers are not potted, as is generally the case 
in this country, but planted out in a frame, previously 
prepared with half-rotten leaves, made into a bed, 
from three to four feet high, with little or no heat in 
it, as at this time (March) we look forward to a daily 



15 



increase of solar heat. This is particularly the case 
in France, which is favoured with a clearer sky. Half 
the trouble in linings of dung, which are so necessary 
in this country, is thus dispensed with. The linings 
added to the bed of half-rotten leaves, before men- 
tioned, are found to produce heat sufficient to induce 
the plant to form roots. These are soon followed by 
others into the mould on the surface of the bed, and 
when this takes place, the rapidity of their growth 
may easily be imagined. The principal attention they 
require after being rooted, is to syringe them almost 
daily with tepid water, and to keep up a humid at- 
mosphere. As the plants advance in growth, the 
frame must be raised to give them head room. 
About the month of August, the plants will be large 
enough to remove to their fruiting quarters, which at 
Meudon, and at the Baron de Rothschild's, are a low- 
roofed house or pit, just wide enough for containing 
three rows of plants, with a walk at the back. This 
is heated by flues or fire-heat, which, for plants of 
that size, is equally as good as hot water, being only 
intended for drying up the damp, and keeping up a 
moderate warmth during the winter months. There 
is no doubt, however, but hot water would be the best 
for practising the above system in this country. The 
floor of the house is filled in, to the depth of 1 6 or 
18 inches, with the best soil that can be procured. 
Loam is very difficult to obtain in the neighbourhood 



16 



of Paris ; in fact, good loam, such as pines are grown 
in near London, is not to be procured by any means ; 
so that, while pine-growers in France have the advan- 
tage in climate, we on this side of the water have a 
decided advantage in soil. The principal part of 
their pines are grown in peat: at the Baron de Roths- 
child's, they have above a thousand pine plants, all 
growing in that soil. When the plants are ready for 
removing, it is performed in the following manner : — 
The frame is first lifted from the plants, so that they 
can be got at from all sides ; then the plants are 
raised with a spade, care being taken to remove them 
with as much soil adhering to their roots as possible. 
They are then planted carefully in the pit above men- 
tioned, three or four inches deeper than they origi- 
nally were, to encourage new roots, which, by being 
kept close, and shaded for a few days, if necessary, 
they will soon make. After the plants are thus 
established in their final quarters, no other attention 
is required, but the general routine of culture adopted 
for fruiting plants generally, viz., plenty of heat and 
moisture. (Ibid. 1843, 174.) 

The Potager, or King's Kitchen Garden, at Ver- 
sailles, was laid out by " La Quintinie," in the time 
of Louis XIV., and no expense was spared to render 
it a worthy appendage to the palace of Versailles, 
which was then the residence of the gayest court in 
Europe. The present distribution of the fruit gar- 



17 



den retains a great similarity to the plans of La 
Quintinie, in 1681, with the exception of the forcing 
department, which, at that time, consisted only of a 
few frames for melons, cucumbers, and small salads. 
It was not till about the year 1 702 that the pine apple 
was introduced into the Potager, and so little was 
then known of its culture, that no mention is made 
of any fruit having being obtained till 30 years after ; 
in fact, this and other tropical fruits do not appear to 
have received much attention until the time of the 
Empire ; since the peace, still greater improvements 
have been made ; many new houses, especially for 
pines, have been erected, and the hot water system 
all but entirely adopted. The honour to which it 
has now attained is more particularly due to M. Mas- 
sey, the present director of the Royal Gardens, and 
to the chief gardener in the forcing department, M. 
Grison, who have, within the last few years, so suc- 
cessfully introduced the open bed system of culture. 
The whole of the succession pits and fruiting houses 
are now heated by hot water ; tan has been entirely 
discarded : all the water pipes are of copper, — some 
round, others open, gutters, 5 or 6 inches wide, by 3 
deep, like those in use at the Hon. R. Clive's, at 
Hewell : these last are now coming into general use 
for bottom heat. In England almost all the pipes 
for warming the atmosphere are round ; there, on the 
contrary, the greater part are flat and upright, from 
c 



18 



6 to 8 inches high, and 1 inch thick ; in these the 
water is said to circulate quite as freely ; and more- 
over a great advantage is gained by the comparatively 
short time in which -any given degree of heat may be 
obtained, the difference being about 3 to 5 ; on the 
contrary, however, it is lost quite as rapidly. The 
boilers are of copper, and of a form totally unlike 
those used in England ; none are conical, and the 
makers appear to think that form no way superior to 
theirs. The soils used in England and France for 
pines are altogether different ; in almost every British 
pinery, a strong loamy soil is predominant, but at Paris, 
Versailles, and at almost every other place in France, 
pines are now grown in peat ; some persons have tried 
loam and leaf-mould, others loam and peat, or com- 
mon earth and black sand, but none of these composts 
have proved satisfactory ; nevertheless, many eminent 
horticulturists, and among them M. Poiteau, the 
editor of the "Bon Jardinier," still think that a 
stronger soil would be better suited to the end in 
view ; not so, however, the actual growers ; the uni- 
versal opinion among them is, that pure peat is for 
every variety the best adapted to ensure a rapid 
growth, which they consider so essentially necessary 
to obtain large fruit ; and certainly the health and 
vigour of the plants, and the enormous fruit which 
has been obtained in this soil, would lead you to believe 
their opinion well founded. The treatment of the 



19 



plants when young, and indeed throughout all their 
stages in pots (with the exception of soil), is very 
much the same as in England. The suckers are 
planted in August and September, and remain till 
May in the pits of the lowest temperature, when 
frames for the summer are prepared of dung and 
chesnut or oak leaves, well mixed and sweetened, of 
four feet thickness, which is found to retain a steady 
bottom heat of 18 to 20 degs. of Reaumur (72 to 75 
degs. Fahr.) for a much longer time than from dung 
alone ; upon this is a bed of peat (sometimes mixed 
with a few decayed leaves and black sand), about 
eight inches deep, in which the young plants are set 
at sufficient distance apart to allow for six months 5 
growth. These frames are well protected by straw 
mats at night, and as the summer advances air is 
liberally given, and water as occasion may require. 
Rapid progress under this treatment is soon appa- 
rent ; here they remain till the end of September or 
middle of October, when they are once more repotted, 
in twenty-fours or sixteens, in pure peat, and placed 
in the winter pits with a bottom-heat of 22 or 25 
degs. of Reaumur (82 to 88 degs. Fahr.). In the 
following May those which are to fruit in pots are 
shifted into sixteens or twelves, while those for the 
open ground are planted in the fruiting houses, the 
soil of which is pure peat 9 or 10 inches deep ; the 
bottom heat is now increased to 25 degs., and the air 
c 2 



20 



is never below 17 or 18 degs. ; in September and Octo- 
ber many of the plants are showing fruit, which comes 
to maturity in time for the Paris season, which com- 
mences in December, Such is a brief outline of 
the open bed system, as practised at Versailles and 
elsewhere, This treatment has not, however, been 
found equally advantageous to every kind of fruit ; it 
is only in the Cayenne, Enville, Jamaica, Providence, 
and one or two other varieties, that the increase of 
size has been most apparent; very little difference 
has been perceptible in the size of the Queens (at 
least at the Potager), and by far the greater number 
of this kind are still grown in pots. The number 
cultivated in this garden is above 2000 ; more than 
two-thirds are Queens ; then follow the Providence, 
Cayenne, Enville, and Jamaica. Many others are 
grown for the sake of variety, such as Antigua, Poli 
blanc, Moscow Queen, &c. &c. ; but the first named 
sorts constitute the grand resource for the Royal 
Family and Court. (Gard. Chron. 1844, 6.) 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERS. 
Ananassa Sativa, the pine apple, is one of a genus 
included in the Hexandria Monogynia class and order 
of the Linnean system, and in the natural order Bro- 
meliacese. It is the Bromelia ananas of earlier Bota- 
nists. 



21 



Leaves, ciliate- spinous, sharp-pointed, spike co- 
mose. Root, perennial, fibrous. Root-leaves, from 
2 to 3 feet long, and from 2 to 3 inches broad, chan- 
nelled, often a little glaucous. Stem, short, cylindri- 
cal, thick, leafy. Spike, glomerate, dense, scaly, oval 
or conic, crowned with a tuft of leaves, similar to the 
root and stem leaves, but smaller. Flowers, bluish, 
sessile, small, and scattered upon the common, thick, 
fleshy receptacle, which, after the flowers fall off, in- 
creases in size, and becomes a succulent fruit, covered 
on all sides with small triangular scales, and resem- 
bling the strobile of the genus Pinus, whence its 
common English name is derived. It is a native of 
South America, and is now found wild also in Africa 
and Hindostan. 

Although a native of tropical climates, it must not 
be supposed, however, that the pine apple plant is an 
exotic of a very tender kind ; for, on the contrary, if 
removed from a temperature of 100 degs., and placed 
in one nearly freezing for hours, it will exhibit no im- 
mediate external change, or that flacidity which 
would mark the appearance of most other exotics 
similarly treated. (Glendinning on Pine Apple, 8.) 

As it is not a tender, so, neither, is it a short-lived 
plant. We have seen in India an old root that had 
continued to bear fruit annually for six or seven 
years, and the suckers on which were still in full 
vigour. Mr. Hamilton, after some years' experience, 



22 



also concludes that a pine apple plant, cultivated 
without injuring its roots, or moving it, as was the 
old system, might be fruited from for fifteen years. 
We are not aware of any chemical analysis of any 
part of this fruit. 



VARIETIES, 

For the following list of varieties, and the detail of 
their characteristics, we are chiefly indebted to the 
publications of the London Horticultural Society. 
We have included as varieties some w T hich, by most 
Botanists, are considered as species, but in these 
Instances we have appended their specific botanical 
names. The average weights are from the Society's 
Catalogue, but they are now much below the average 
weights to which pine apples are grown. 

Allen's Seedling, see Mealy -leaved Sugarloaf. 

Anson s (Anson's Queen, Lemon Antigua). Leaves 
long, rather more slender and erect than in the Ota- 
heite, to which it bears a considerable resemblance, 
particularly in the spines, which are middle-sized, 
and in the flatness of the leaves. Flowers purple. 
Fruit cylindrical ; before ripening of a darkish green 
and rather mealy ; when ripe of a bright lemon co- 
lour. Pips rather above the middle size, prominent 
at the margins, and depressed in the centre. Scales 
covering half the pips, and ending in narrow acute 
points. Flesh white, opaque, entirely without 
stringyness, very sweet and pleasant, but without 
acidity. Crown middle-sized, leaves not very nume- 



23 



rous. This variety was raised from seed, probably, 
at Shugborough. 

Antigua, Blade, (Brown Antigua of Speechley ; 
Antigua, Jagged-leaved Antigua, Wortley's West In- 
dian). — It is readily distinguished by its leaves, which 
are very long, narrow and acute, rather spreading, of 
a clear bluish green, the inner leaves being much 
tinged with a pale brown, upper surface slightly 
mealy, lower surface very mealy. Spines large, far 
apart, and regular. Flowers purple. Fruit cylindri- 
cal, inclining to oval ; before ripening, of a dull pur- 
plish green, and thickly covered with meal ; when ripe, 
dark ochre. Pips very large and prominent. Scales 
covering rather more than one-third of the pips, and 
terminating in short blunt points. Flesh pale yel- 
low, slightly fibrous, rather soft and melting, with a 
pleasant acid, remarkably juicy, sweet, and highly 
flavoured. Crown small. Leaves few and erect. 
Average weight 5 lbs. Should be cut just before 
ripening. 

Antigua Brown, see New Jamaica. 

Antigua, Copper Coloured, see Montserrat. 

Antigua, Green, (Smooth-leaved Green Antigua, 
Smooth Green Havannah, Sans Epines, Malabarica). 
— Average weight 4 lbs. Its leaves are considerably 
shorter than those of the Havannah, and of a pale 
colour ; they are also broader, more keel-shaped and 
much stronger than in that variety, and also entirely 
destitute of spines. Flowers of a very pale lilac co- 
lour. Fruit globular, sometimes inclining to oval ; 
before ripening of a dark green, and very thickly 
covered with meal, when ripe deep yellow. Pips 
middle sized, roundish, and projecting to a very 
acute point. Scales covering about one third of the 
pips, and ending in narrow short points. Flesh 
deep yellow, transparent, rather stringy, with a little 
acidity, but neither very sweet nor highly flavoured. 
Crown rather large, leaves numerous and reflexed. 



24 



Antigua, Lemon, see Anson's. 

Antigua Rubra, see Montserrat. 

Antigua Aurantiaca, see Smooth Havannah. 

Antigua, Smooth Leaved, see Havannah. 

Bagofs (Lord) Seedling. — ilverage weight 31bs. 
Leaves remarkably short, broad and flat, bluish green, 
and thickly covered with meal. Spines, middle-sized 
and rather irregular. Flowers, lilac. Fruit, bluntly 
pyramidal; before ripening, dark greenish purple, 
and thickly covered with meal ; when ripe, pale yel- 
low. Flesh white, opaque and firm, with scarcely 
any fibre, very juicy, and highly flavoured. Crown 
small, leaves not numerous. 
r Barbadoes, Lemon-coloured, see Lemon Queen. 

Barbadoes, Black, see Black Jamaica. 

Barbadoes, White, see Lemon Queen. 

Bird's-eye Bahama, see Striped Sugarloaf. 

Blithfield Orange. — Colour of flowers, black. Form 
of fruit, pyramidal. Average weight 3ylbs. The 
leaves of this variety bear a strong resemblance to 
those of the Enville, but differ in being much weaker 
and less mealy. Spines, middle-sized. The fruit is 
rather broader at the top than in that variety ; the 
pips are also somewhat larger and less mealy ; the 
colour when ripe bright ochre. Flesh, pale yellow, 
rather soft and melting, with a pleasant highly-fla- 
voured juice. Crown small, leaves not numerous. 

Blood Red (Blood, Claret, Jamaica Purpurea). — 
This pine is readily distinguished by the purplish red 
colour of its leaves, which are long, broad, and rather 
erect. The spines are large and regular. Flowers 
lilac. Fruit cylindrical, sometimes tapering a little 
to the summit ; before ripening, dark purple and very 
mealy ; when ripe, a reddish chocolate colour. Pips 
middle-sized, slightly prominent, and half covered 
with the scales, which terminate abruptly in very 
short points. Flesh white, rather soft and melting, 
somewhat fibrous, neither very juicy nor highly fla- 



25 



voured. Crown middle-sized, leaves rather numerous 
and erect. It was imported from Jamaica by the 
late Major Morrison, of Gunnersbury, under the 
name of Buck pine, and unnamed plants of it were 
also received from St. Vincent. 

Bogwarp, see Montserrat. 

Brazil, see ib. 

Brazilian Scarlet, see Scarlet. 

Buchanan. — Spines middle-sized. 

Buck's Seedling. — Colour of flowers lilac. Ave- 
rage weight 121bs. This variety greatly resembles 
the Trinidad, but differs in the following particulars : 
The leaves are not of so robust growth, they are con- 
siderably paler, more mealy, and entirely free from 
any tinge of brown and red, nor are the spines so 
strong or irregular. The fruit is pyramidal, and be- 
fore ripening is rather paler and more mealy, the 
scales much longer, and of a dull whitish or grey co- 
lour. The flesh is also somewhat paler, with a richer 
and more highly flavoured juice. Raised from seed 
at Elford. 

Cape Coast, see Montserrat. 

Caraile, Black, see Antigua Queen. 

Caraile, Yellow, see ib. 

Claret, see Blood Bed. 

Cochineal, see Montserrat. 

Cockscomb, see Enville, Welbeck Seedling, and 
Trooper's Helmet. 

Cockscomb, Russian. — Average Weight 41bs. A 
good summer fruit. Leaves rather long, broad, and 
somewhat furrowed, slightly spreading, and rather 
flat, with revoluted margins of a bluish green, and 
very lightly tinged with brown, very mealy. Spines 
rather strong, far asunder, and regular. Flowers, 
lilac. Fruit globular, rather tapering to the summit ; 
before ripening, of a dark green and rather mealy ; 
when ripe, pale orange. Pips rather above the middle 



26 



size and flat, sometimes having small tubercles at 
some of the angles ; scales covering nearly one half 
the pips, ending in long blunt points, which adhere 
closely to the fruit. Flesh, pale yellow, rather trans- 
parent, very juicy and sweet, with a rich pleasant 
acid. Crown rather small, leaves broad and spread- 
ing. 

Copper, see Montserrat. 

Copper Coloured, see Black Jamaica. 

Copper Coloured Barbadoes, see Black Sugarloaf. 

Crown, see Welbeck Seedling. 

Bemerara, New (Harrison 5 s New) . — Average weight 
41bs. Leaves strong, very broad, and rather long, 
slightly keel- shaped and spreading, of a dull green 
colour, and tinged with reddish brown on the upper 
surface ; the lower surface is remarkably mealy, a 
feature by which it may be readily distinguished. 
Spines, rather minute and regular. Flowers, lilac. 
Fruit globular, depressed at each end, of a dark green 
colour before ripening, afterwards a dull ochre tinged 
with red ; very mealy on the centre part of the pips, 
which are large and prominent. Scales covering half 
the pips and ending in narrow lengthened points. 
Flesh white and firm, very juicy, but not highly fla- 
voured. Crown large, leaves rather long and erect. 

Dominica, see Mealy -leaved Sugarloaf. 

Elford. 

Enville (Old Enville, Enville Sugarloaf, Cocks- 
comb) . — Average weight 51bs. Leaves not very long, 
but rather broad and strong, slightly keel-shaped, 
somewhat recurved, of a bluish green, and remarkably 
mealy ; spines middle-sized, thickly set, and very ir- 
regular. Flowers, lilac. Fruit pyramidal, of a dark 
purple, tinged with a brownish red before ripening, 
and very mealy ; afterwards of a deep reddish yellow, 
with pale copper-coloured scales, which cover about 
one-third of the pips, and terminate in lengthened 



27 



acute points. Pips generally about the middle size, 
and slightly prominent. Flesh almost white, opaque, 
soft and melting, without much fibre, juicy, rather 
rich and sweet, with a peculiar and pleasant perfume. 
Crown small, often cockscomb shaped. Raised from 
seed at Enville Hall, the seat of the Earl of Stamford 
and Warrington, but at what time is rather uncertain. 

Enville, Spring Grove. — The average weight 3lbs. 
Leaves short, broad and flat, with revolute edges of a 
bluish green colour, much tinged with brownish pur- 
ple, and rather thickly covered with meal. Spines 
middle sized, and rather thickly set and regular. 
Flowers, lilac. Fruit pyradimal, very broad at its 
base ; before ripening, dark green and rather mealy ; 
when ripe, dark yellow. Pips middle sized, rather 
flat, and somewhat depressed in the centres. Scales 
covering rather more than half the pips, and termi- 
nating in very short points. Flesh, very pale yellow, 
slightly fibrous, very juicy and rather sweet, but not 
highly flavoured, Crown very small, leaves not nu- 
merous. 

Enville, New. — Spines middle sized; colour of 
flower, lilac ; form of fruit, pyramidal ; quality, se- 
cond rate ; average weight 5lbs. 

Globe. — Average weight 41bs. Readily distin- 
guished by the rigid and erect character of its leaves, 
which are rather narrow and slightly keeled, a bluish 
green, and very mealy, especially on the under sur- 
face. Spines, middle sized and regular. Flowers, 
lilac. Fruit globular, sometimes rather cylindrical, 
of a dark olive colour before ripening, afterwards of a 
darkish yellow, slightly mealy. Pips middle sized, 
very slightly prominent. Scales covering about one- 
third the pips, and terminating in rather lengthened 
points. Flesh yellow, transparent, very juicy, and 
slightly fibrous, sweet, rich, and rather acid. Crown 
small, leaves not numerous. 



28 



Globe, English, see Black Jamaica. 

Globe, Buck's Seedling. — Average weight 51bs. 
Leaves long, rather narrow, somewhat keel-shaped 
and spreading, of a bluish green, slightly tinged with 
brownish purple, and thickly covered with meal. 
Spines middle sized, not very strong, but very irregu- 
lar. Flowers, darkish lilac. Fruit cylindrical, some- 
what inclining to a globular form ; before ripening, of 
a dingy dull green, and a little mealy ; when ripe, 
darkish orange. Pips somewhat below the middle 
size, and a little prominent. Scales covering about 
half the pips, and ending in lengthened narrow points. 
Flesh pale yellow, rather close, firm and juicy* with a 
rich, highly flavoured acid. Crown small, leaves 
broad, short and reflexed. Raised from seeds in 
1819, by Mr. William Buck, gardener to the Hon. 
F. Greville Howard, at Elford, in Staffordshire. 

Globe, Fisherwick Striped. — Spines small ; colour 
of flower, lilac ; form of fruit, round ; quality, second 
rate ; average weight 4lbs. Readily distinguished 
from all others by its leaves ; in appearance some- 
what resembles the King pine, but differs in the fol- 
lowing particulars : — The leaves have weak irregular 
spines on their margins, they are rather of a darker 
green, slightly tinged with pale brown, more particu- 
larly in the centre of the plants ; they are also some- 
what thickly interspersed with silvery specks on the 
under surface. Said to have originated at Fishwick, 
the seat of the Hon. F. G. Howard, from a stool of 
the Globe pine. 

Globe, Russian. — Average weight 31bs. Leaves 
rather short and broad, somewhat keel-shaped, spread- 
ing, and a little furrowed ; of a dull green, much 
tinged with a dark brown, slightly mealy. Spines, 
large, long, thinly set and regular. Flowers lilac. 
Fruit globular, sometimes tapering to the summit ; 
before ripening, dark purplish green, and thickly 



29 



covered with meal; when ripe, darkish orange, inclin- 
ing to a copper colour. Pips large, flat, and a little 
depressed in the centre. Scales, covering about one 
third of the pips, which end in long acute points, 
closely adhering to the fruit. Flesh of a clear yellow, 
slightly fibrous, very juicy and sweet, with a rich 
highly perfumed flavour. Crown rather large, leaves 
broad and spreading. Imported from St. Petersburg 
by the Society in 1819. 

Gold Striped, see Silver-striped Queen. 

Green-leaved, with Purple stripes, and spines on 
the edges, see Striped Sugarloaf. 

Harrison s New, see New Demerara. 

Havannah (Brown Havannah, Smooth-leaved An- 
tigua, Ripley of some, Old King of some, Semiserrata, 
Lapete.) Average weight 4lbs. Leaves very spread- 
ing, narrow and long, of a light bluish green, con- 
siderably tinged with pale brown, and slightly mealy. 
Spineless except sometimes, when a few appear near 
the points. Flowers purple. Fruit cylindrical, some- 
times tapering a little to the summit, before ripening 
dark purple and rather thickly covered with meal ; 
when ripe, darkish orange. Pips large, flat, and a 
little depressed in the centre. Scales covering about 
one-third part of the pips, and ending in a long re- 
flexed point. Flesh pale yellow, rather solid, and 
without much fibre, juicy, but neither sweet nor very 
highly flavoured. Crown large, leaves numerous, long 
and spreading. Origin unknown. Cultivated by 
Speechly, at Welbeck, before the publication of his 
Treatise. Not a favourite with gardeners by reason 
of the spreading character of its leaves. 

Havannah, see King. 

Havannah, Downton (Knight's Seedling.) — Spines 
small. Colour of the flower purple. Form of fruit 
cylindrical. Quality, second rate. Average weight 
41bs. 



30 



Havannah, Smooth (Green Havannah, Antigua 
Aurantiaca.)— Spines none. Colour of flower purple. 
Form of fruit cylindrical. Quality second-rate. Average 
weight 4lbs. The leaves of this are rather less 
robust than those of the Common or Brown Havan- 
nah, and of less robust growth, rather more tinged 
with brown, and much more mealy. The fruit is of 
the same form and appearance as the Havannah, but 
is seldom so large. The flesh is of the same colour 
and consistency, but abounds with a rich, sweet, 
highly flavoured juice. The crown is generally con- 
siderably smaller than in that sort. The origin of 
this pine is unknown, it is not however of recent 
origin or introduction, having been grown for a con- 
siderable length of time in the pine stoves of different 
parts of England. 

Havannah, Smooth Green, see Green Antigua. 

Hussar, see Trooper's Helmet. 

Indian Creole, see Montserrat. 

Jamaica Black (Jamaica, Black Barbadoes, Cop- 
per-coloured, Tawny, St. Vincent's Sugar-loaf, 
Montserrat of some). — Average weight 4lbs. Best 
winter pine. Leaves rather long and narrow, 
slighty spreading, and somewhat keel-shaped, of a 
dull green, tinged with a dark brown colour, and 
rather mealy. Spines small, short, regular, and 
thinly set. Flowers, purple. Fruit, oval, not much 
lengthened, rather compressed at the ends ; colour, 
before ripening, very dark olive ; afterwards a dark 
orange, inclining to that of copper. Pips, roundish, 
irregularly angular, about the middle size, rather 
prominent at the margins and concave in the centre. 
Scales, covering one-third the pips, and terminating 
in lengthened points. Flesh, pale yellow, opaque, 
firm, slightly stringy, very rich, juicy, and high 
flavoured. Crown, large, spreading, and very mealy. 

Jamaica, New (New Black Jamaica, Brown An- 



31 



tigua, English Globe, St. Kitt's, Montserrat of some). 
— Average weight, 3^1bs. Good in summer. This 
differs from the Black Jamaica in the colour of the 
leaf, which is rather paler, and in the margins being 
slightly reflexed. Leaf spines, small. The fruit is 
pyramidal and slightly mealy. The colour black 
(hence Speechley's name), on approaching maturity 
changing to that of a dark orange. Pips differ from 
those of the Black Jamaica by being half-covered with 
the scales, and rather more prominent and angular. 
Flesh, pale yellow, somewhat opaque, slightly fibrous, 
sweet and rather acid, very pleasant, rich, and high 
flavoured. Crown, middle-sized, leaves rather nume- 
rous and spreading. 

Jamaica Purpurea (see Blood Bed.) 

Java, Green (Narrow-leaved Java). — Average 
weight, 41bs. Beadily distinguished by its long, 
broad, palish, green leaves, with small feeble spines ; 
they are also very flat, and entirely free from any 
tinge of brown or purple. Flowers, large, dark, 
bluish purple. Fruit oval, sometimes tapering a 
little to the summit, weighing from 4 to 51bs. ; before 
ripening, light green, and lightly covered with meal ; 
when ripe, of a fine clear citron colour. Pips rather 
above the middle size, and flat. Scales cover fully 
one-third of the pips, and end in long narrow points. 
Flesh, pale yellow, rather soft, juicy, and melting, 
with a rich pleasant acid. Crown, middle-sized, 
leaves not very numerous. Obtained by Sir Thomas 
Stamford Baffles, during his residence in Java. 

Java, broad-leaved, see Trooper's Helmet. 

King (Grassgreen King, Common King, Old King, 
Havannah of some). Spines none. Average weight, 
3lbs. This is the {i Ananas viridis inermis," of the 
French. Leaves, rather long, somewhat broad and 
keel-shaped, margins destitute of spines, and some- 
times a little undulated ; of a clear shining yel- 



32 



lowish green, and entirely free from mealiness ; its 
growth is also very peculiar, the centre leaves embrace 
each other very closely, and require considerable force 
to separate them. Flowers, purple. Fruit, cylindri- 
cal, inclining to ovate, of a bright olive colour be- 
fore ripening, bright orange when ripe. Flesh, yel- 
low, opaque, firm, and free from fibre, sweet and 
pleasant, with very little acid. Crown large. This 
pine, according to Martin, in his edition of " Miller's 
Dictionary, 55 was raised from seeds taken out of a 
rotten fruit which came from the West Indies, to 
Henry Heathcote, Esq. 
King, see Havannah. 

Knight's Seedling, see Downton Havannah. 

Lahete, see Havannah. 

Malabarica, see Montserrat. 

Mocho, see Brown-leaved Sugarloaf. 

Montserrat (Copper, Cape Coast, Bogwarp, Red 
Ripley, New Ripley, Copper-coloured Antigua, Co- 
chineal, Brazil, Malacca, Sumatra, Antigua Rubra, 
Indian Creole). — Easily distinguished from all other 
variety by the dark purple colour of the spines, which 
are rather small and irregular ; good specimens of it 
will weigh from 31bs. to 51bs. Flowers purple. Fruit 
cylindrical, sometimes broader at the top and narrow- 
ing downwards ; before ripening, dark green and 
mealy ; afterwards of a pale orange, tinged with a 
copper colour. Pips, middle sized and rather flat. 
Scales covering one-half the pips, of a deep red to- 
wards the points, which are rather lengthened. Flesh 
solid, lemon-coloured, semi-transparent, somewhat 
mealy, juicy and acid, without much flavour or sweet- 
ness. Crown rather large, leaves numerous. 

Montserrat, see Black Jamaica and New Jamaica. 

Montserrat, Heat on House, see Ripley. 

Olive Green, see St. Vincent 5 s. 

Olive, New Green, see Green Providence. 



33 



Olive, Striped-leaved, see Striped Queen. 
Ordinaire, see Queen. 

Otaheite (Anson's). — Average weight 61bs. Very 
handsome. Leaves long, rather broad, and of erect 
growth, nearly equal in breadth until near the top, 
where they terminate rather acutely ; they are also 
particularly flat, and of a dark bluish green, slightly 
tinged with brown, and a little mealy on the upper 
surface, very mealy on the lower surface. Spines 
middle sized and remarkably irregular. Flowers, 
lilac. Fruit cylindrical, inclining to oval ; upon 
ripening, deep olive green, covered densely with a 
cinereous meal ; when ripe, orange yellow. Pips 
large and flat. Scales covering rather more than 
one- third the pips, and ending in short points, which 
adhere closely to the pips. Flesh, pale yellow, rather 
stringy and slightly acid, with an abundance of juice, 
but not particularly well flavoured. Crown small, 
leaves rather few and erect, 

Peploe Seedling. — Spines middle sized ; form of 
fruit cylindrical ; quality second-rate ; average weight 
3 Jibs. 

Pitch Lake, see Trinidad. 

Prince of Wales's Island, see Striped Surinam. 

Prince of Wales's Island, Striped, see ib. 

Providence, Green. — The leaves of this sort are 
very distinct from all others ; they are long, very 
broad, slightly spreading and keel-shaped at the base, 
tapering to a lengthened point ; the upper surface is 
dull green, with scarcely any meal, the lower surface 
is very mealy. Spines middle sized and regular. 
Flowers purple. Fruit pyramidal, broadish at the 
top ; before ripening of a dark green, when ripe of a 
pale orange, slightly mealy. Pips rather above the 
middle size and slightly prominent. Scales covering 
one-half the pips, with long narrow pointed ends. 
Flesh pale yellow, opaque, slightly fibrous, sweet and 



34 



pleasant, without much acid. Crown small, leaves 
not very numerous. Average weight, 4^1bs. This 
variety was obtained from seed at Wollaton, the seat 
of Lord Middleton. 

Providence, Prickly, see Welbeck Seedling. 

Providence, White (Providence, New Providence, 
Mealy-leaved Providence, Wollaton Providence, Wol- 
laton Green Providence). — Average weight 71bs. ; 
largest of the varieties here enumerated, excepting 
the Trinidad. Leaves large, long, broad and spread- 
ing, of a light bluish green colour, sometimes blotched 
with a deeper shade, and very mealy ; spines very 
small, thickly set and rather irregular. Flowers 
large, dark purple. Fruit oval or tun shaped,, nearly 
equal in size at top and bottom, very dark green or 
purple, and thickly covered with meal ; on approach- 
ing maturity gradually changing to a reddish yellow. 
Pips very large and nearly flat, sometimes a little de- 
pressed in the centre. Scales covering nearly half 
the pips, and terminating in shortened blunt points. 
Flesh white, opaque, sweet and juicy, without much 
flavour, slightly stringy and rather soft and melting. 
Crown large, leaves numerous and rather spreading. 

Queen (Broad Leaved Queen, Common Queen, 
Narrow Leaved Queen, Ordinaire). — Average weight 
2^1bs., though it can be grown much larger. One 
of the best and most useful. Leaves very short, 
broad and stiff, somewhat spreading and keel-shaped, 
of a bluish green, and thickly covered with meal. 
Spines large, strong, rather far apart and regular. 
Flowers lilac. Fruit cylindrical ; before ripening, a 
lightish green and mealy ; when ripe, a rich deep yel- 
low. Pips rather below the middle size and a little 
prominent. Scales covering rather more than one- 
third the pips, ending in lengthened points. Flesh 
pale yellow, very slightly fibrous and melting, re- 
markably juicy and sweet, with a rich pleasant acid. 
Crown middle sized, leaves numerous and a little 



35 



spreading. The origin of this variety is uncertain ; 
it is the Ananas Ovale of Miller's Dictionary, and 
probably the sort originally introduced into this 
country. 

Queen, Anson's, see Anson's. 

Queen, Antigua (Black Caraile, Yellow Caraile, 
Lord Effingham's). — Average weight 4 lbs. Leaves 
short, broad, keel-shaped, and slightly spreading, 
dull green, and very mealy on the under surface. 
Spines large, strong, far asunder and regular. Flow- 
ers dark lilac. Fruit cylindrical, sometimes round- 
ish; before ripening, dark olive green and rather 
mealy, when ripe dull yellow. Pips rather above the 
middle size, prominent. Scales covering about one 
third part of the pips, and ending in a short blunt 
point. Flesh white, firm, remarkably juicy, a little 
sugary but not highly flavoured. Crown rather large, 
leaves numerous and spreading. 

Queen, Barbadoes, see Lemon Queen. 

Queen, Green. — Spines large ; colour of flower 
lilac ; Form of fruit cylindrical ; quality best ; ave- 
rage weight 1\ lbs. 

Queen, Lemon (Lemon coloured Barbadoes, Bar- 
badoes Queen, White Barbadoes, Ripley's New 
Queen). — Easily distinguished by its leaves, which 
are grooved or channeled, and the margins often in- 
volute, of a bluish green colour, with a considerable 
quantity of mealiness. Spines middle sized and irre- 
gular. Flowers lilac and large. Fruit cylindrical ; 
before ripening of a bright lightish green, when ripe 
pale lemon colour, and slightly mealy. Pips rather 
above the middle size and flat. Scales covering 
about one half the pips, ending in short points which 
adhere closely to the fruit. Flesh pale yellow, trans- 
parent, very j nicy, a little stringy, rather sweet and 
pleasant, although not very highly flavoured. Crown 
middle size, often cockscomb-shaped ; generally weigh- 
d 2 



36 



ing from three to five pounds ; does not swell very 
readily during winter. 

Queen, Moscow. Spines large ; colour of flower 
lilac ; form of fruit cylindrical ; quality excellent ; 
average weight 2^1bs. 

Queen, Ripley's New, see Lemon Queen. 

Queen, Purple Striped, see Striped Sugarloaf. 

Queen, Ripley's. Spines large ; colour of flower 
lilac ; form of fruit cylindrical ; quality best ; ave- 
rage weight 2|lbs. 

Queen, Silver Striped (Silver Striped, Gold Striped). 
Spines large ; colour of flower lilac ; form of fruit 
cylindrical ; quality middling or bad ; average weight 
2lbs. 

Queen, Striped (Striped Olive) . — Spines large ; 
colour of flower lilac ; form of fruit cylindrical ; qua- 
lity second rate ; average weight 2^1bs. Swells badly. 

Ribbon Gross, see Striped Surinam. 

Ripley (Ripley's, Old Ripley, Heaton House Mont- 
serrat). — Average weight 2^1bs. Leaves broad, 
rather long, and slightly recurved, dark green, much 
tinged with reddish brown, and mealy on both sur- 
faces. Spines rather large, strong and irregular ; 
margins reflexed and sometimes a little waved. Flow- 
ers purple. Fruit, roundish ovate, sometimes rather 
cylindrical, slightly compressed at either end ; before 
ripening very deep green, and thickly covered with 
meal on the middle parts of the pips ; when ripe of a 
pale copper colour. Pips rather above the middle 
size and rather prominent ; scales covering about one- 
half the pips, and terminating in lengthened acute 
points. Flesh pale yellow, opaque, very sweet and 
rich, firm and crisp, not stringy, and of a very agree- 
able flavour. Crown about the middle size, leaves 
rather numerous and spreading. This was raised 
upon an estate called Ripley, in the Island of Jamaica. 

Ripley, see Havannah. 



37 



Ripley, New, see Montserrat. 

Ripley, Red, see ib. 

St. Kitt's, see New Jamaica. 

St. Thomas's, see St. Vincent's. 

St. Vincent's (Green St. Vincent, Green Olive, St. 
Thomas's, Stub ton Seedling, Bahama Sugarloaf). — 
Average weight 2^1bs. Swells well in winter. This 
has been described by Speechly to have leaves of the 
" same length as the Queen ;" if well grown they will 
be found to be much longer, and differ only from the 
Green Providence in being narrow, less keel-shaped, 
and the upper surface paler green and rather more 
mealy. Spines middle sized. Flowers purple, mid- 
dle sized. Fruit bluntly pyramidal, slightly mealy, 
and of a dull olive colour; when ripe of a dingy yellow. 
Pips middle sized, flat, and rather depressed in the 
centre. Scales covering nearly half the pips ; the 
tops are short and adhere closely to the fruit, which 
gives it rather an even appearance. Flesh pale yel- 
low, opaque, juicy, crisp, without much fibre, rich, 
sweet, and very highly flavoured. Crown middle sized, 
leaves rather numerous and slightly spreading. 

Sans Epines, see Green Antigua. 

Scarlet, Ananassa Bracteata, (Brazilian Scarlet). — 
Spines large ; colour of flower dark purple ; form of 
fruit pyramidal ; quality middling or bad ; average 
weight 4lbs. Only valuable for the beauty of its 
flowers. Leaves remarkable long and flat, rather 
broad and flaccid, of a yellowish green, often tinged 
with pale brown, and almost destitute of mealiness ; 
spines very strong, far asunder and rather regular. 
Flowers large, dark purple, contrasting beautifully 
with the scales, which are of a brilliant scarlet at that 
stage of the growth. Fruit pyramidal, before ripen- 
ing of a dullish yellow colour, on its approaching 
maturity it changes to a pale green, and becomes a 
little mealy ; when ripe palish yellow. Pips small 



38 



and slightly prominent, being half covered with the 
scales, which terminate in very long, broad, reflexed 
points, of a dull scarlet colour. Flesh very pale yel- 
low, slightly fibrous, very juicy and soft, slightly acid, 
without much flavour. Crown large, leaves rather 
numerous and erect. 

Semiserrata, see Havannah. 

Sierra Leone. — Average weight 41bs. Leaves long, 
broad and rather flaccid, with revolute undulated 
edges, of a clear bluish green, and, from the circum- 
stance of its being a very free grower, often consider- 
ably blotched with a darker colour. Spines short, 
middle sized and regular. Flowers purple. Fruit 
cylindrical ; of a dull green colour, tinged with red ; 
when ripe, it gradually changes to a dull ochre colour, 
thickly covered with meal. Pips rather below the 
middle size and slightly prominent. Scales covering 
nearly one half the pips, and terminating in lengthened 
reddish coloured points ; when approaching maturity 
it gradually changes to a dull ochre colour. Flesh 
very pale yellow, almost white, tender, abundantly 
juicy, free from fibre, crisp and melting, sweet with- 
out acidity, pleasant though not rich. Crown large 
and rather sweet, often accompanied by gills at its 
base, leaves numerous ; it is also inclined to emit 
suckers at the base of the fruit, and those on the stem 
are inclined to fruit before the other is half matured. 

Silver Striped, see Striped Surinam and Silver- 
striped Queen. 

Stanton. Spines middle sized. 

Stub ton Seedling, see St. Vincent's. 

Sugarloaf, Black. (Copper coloured Barbadoes.) — 
Spines middle sized. — Colour of flower black. Leaves 
purple. Average weight 3^ lbs. The fruit pyrami- 
dal like the other varieties of Sugarloaf ; the colour 
is darkish purple, and slightly mealy before ripening; 
when ripe light orange. Pips rather above the mid- 



39 



die size and flat, sometimes a little depressed in the 
centre, and covered to the extent of one-third by the 
scales, which end in a very short blunt point. Flesh 
very pale lemon-colour, rather stringy, very juicy, and 
sweet, with an agreeable pleasant acid. Crown rather 
large, leaves few and erect. 

Sugarloaf, Brown. — Spines middle sized. Colour 
of flower lilac. Average weight 4lbs. The leaves of 
this variety are different from all the other Sugar- 
loaves ; in appearance they much resemble the Enville, 
but are less mealy and more tinged with brownish 
red ; the fruit also bears a striking resemblance to 
that of an Enville, but is nearly destitute of mealiness. 
Flesh is rather firm, deep yellow, opaque, without 
much fibre, very juicy, rich and highly flavoured, with 
a little acidity. Crown resembles that of an Enville. 

Sugarloaf, Brown-leaved. (Striped Brown Sugar- 
loaf, Mocha, Antigua Sugarloaf.) — Average weight 
4lbs. Leaves rather strong, broad, somewhat keel- 
shaped, and slightly spreading, dark green, much 
tinged with purplish brown, rather mealy. Spines 
middle sized and regular. Flowers lilac. Fruit cylin- 
drical, of a dingy green, and considerably covered with 
mealiness before ripening; when ripe dark yellow, 
inclining to orange. Pips large, slightly prominent. 
Scales covering nearly one-half the pips, and ending 
in short blunt points. Flesh deep yellow, rather 
opaque and slightly fibrous, not very juicy, but highly 
flavoured, and particularly sweet and rich. Crown 
middle sized, leaves rather numerous and spreading. 

Sugarloaf, Bahama, see St. Vincent's. 

Sugarloaf, Mealy-leafed. (White Sugarloaf, Do- 
minica, New Mealy-leaved Sugarloaf, Allen's Seed- 
ling, Green Sugarloaf of some.) — Spines middle sized; 
average weight 31bs. Flowers lilac. Fruit pyramidal, 
of a lurid green and slightly mealy ; when ripe of a 
pale yellow, inclining to lemon colour. Pips rather 



40 



below the middle size ; flattish scales covering rather 
more than one-third of the pips, and ending in 
lengthened acnte points. Flesh very pale yellow, 
almost white, transparent, rather soft and fibrous, 
sweetish without acid, slightly aromatic, not very 
pleasant. Crown small, leaves rather numerous. 

Sugarloaf, Orange. — Average weight 31bs. Leaves 
rather long and narrow, somewhat keel-shaped and a 
little spreading, of a dull green, considerably tinged 
with dark brown, and rather mealy ; spines short, 
thinly set, and regular. Flowers, pale purple. Fruit, 
cylindrical ; before ripening very dark olive, some- 
what shining and slightly mealy ; when ripe, deep 
yellow, inclining to an orange colour. Pips large 
and flat. Scales covering about half the pips, and 
ending in short, blunt, reflexed points. Flesh, pale 
yellow, almost destitute of fibre, very juicy, and sweet, 
with a rich highly-flavoured acid. Crown, middle- 
sized, leaves numerous and spreading. Raised at 
Blithfield, the seat of the Right Hon. Lord Bagot. 

Sugarloaf, St. Vincent's, see Black Jamaica. 

Sugarloaf, Striped (Purple-striped Queen, green- 
leaved with purple stripes, and spines on the edges ; 
Green Sugarloaf, Green Striped Sugarloaf, Richly 
Striped Sugarloaf, White Sugarloaf, of some ; Bird's 
Eye Bahama, Brown Striped Sugarloaf.) — Spines 
large ; colour of flower pale lilac ; Average weight 
31bs. Fruit pyramidal, as the other Sugarloaves, of 
a clear palish green colour, and rather mealy ; when 
ripe, of a bright yellow. Flesh, deep yellow, semi- 
transparent, slightly stringy, very juicy, and sweet, 
with a slight aroma, but without much acidity. 
Crown middle-sized, leaves rather numerous. 

Sugarloaf, Striped Smooth-leaved (Smooth-leaved 
Sugarloaf). — Average weight, 2^-lbs. Readily known 
by its leaves, which are entirely destitute of spines, 
and striped with dull purple. The flowers are very 



41 



pale lilac. The fruit pyramidal, as the other varieties 
of Sugar-loaf. Flesh, deep yellow, remarkably soft, 
with scarcely any fibre or acidity, a little sweet, but 
neither rich nor juicy. Crown middle-sized, leaves 
very numerous. This worthless variety originated 
some time previous to the publication of Speechley's 
Treatise, and seems now to be almost lost in this 
country. 

Sugar loaf, White, see Mealy-leaved Sugarloaf. 
Sumatra, see Montserrat. 

Surinam. — Average weight 3lbs. Leaves rather 
narrow, long and slightly spreading, of a bluish green 
colour, a little tinged and slightly covered with meali- 
ness. Spines rather deep and not very regular. 
Flowers, lilac. Fruit, cylindrical ; of a dull green be- 
fore ripening ; when ripe, a deep orange and rather 
mealy. Pips roundish, middle-sized, projecting, and 
pointed. Scales covering about one- third part of the 
pips, and ending in lengthened reflexed points. 
Flesh, pale yellow, transparent, rather stringy, and 
very juicy, but neither sweet, rich, nor acid. 

Surinam, Striped (Striped Silver and Pink Suri- 
nam, Silver Striped, Ribbon-grass, Prince of Wales's 
Island, Striped Prince of Wales's Island). — Average 
weight 2|lbs. This has been described by Speechley 
to exceed in beauty the whole tribe of variegated 
plants, not only in the leaves, which are beautifully 
striped with dark green and delicate white, tinged 
with a fiery red ; but also in its fruit, which is cylin- 
drical, and variously marbled with red, green, yellow, 
and white. Leaf spines small. Pips small, rather 
prominent, and covered to the extent of one-third by 
the scales, which, terminate in narrow sharp points. 
Flesh, dullish yellow, very acid, and moderately 
flavoured. Crown middle-sized, of the same charac- 
ter as the leaves. Although a beautiful, this is a 
worthlsss variety. 



42 



Trooper's Helmet (Cockscomb, Hussar, Brown- 
leaved Java) . — Average weight 41bs. Very handsome. 
Leaves rather long, flat and erect, of a pale yellowish 
green colour, and mealy on the under surface. Spines 
middle sized and regular. Flowers purple. Fruit 
roundish, cylindrical ; before ripening, pale green and 
rather mealy; when ripe, dark ochre. Pips large, 
flat, depressed in the centre and plaited round the 
margins. Scales covering half the pips. Flesh of a 
whitish colour, vey juicy and high flavoured, without 
sweetness or briskness, rather of a coarse and stringy 
nature. Crown large and spreading, leaves numer- 
ous. We have received it from Java, under the 
name of Java Broad-leaved and Java Narrow-leaved, 
and from St. Vincent's. 

Trinidad (Pitch Lake). — Average weight 12lbs., 
said to weigh sometimes 261bs. Leaves keel-shaped, 
very long and straggling, broad at the base, and ta- 
pering regularly to the apex, dull green, much tinged 
with brownish purple, particularly on the spines and 
inner leaves, under surface very mealy. Spines mid- 
dle sized, remarkably irregular and growing in clus- 
ters, they are in the middle degree of strength, and 
thickly set. Flowers lilac. Fruit of an elongated 
conical form, the greatest diameters of which are in 
the proportion of 1 2\ inches in height, by 5^ inches 
in breadth ; before ripening, dark olive, and lightly 
covered with meal; when ripe, dark orange, and 
slightly tinged with red on the lower part of the 
pips, which are large, of a roundish form, and only 
very slightly angular ; the margins are rather elevated, 
with the centres depressed, excepting the lower part 
of the fruit, where they are a little prominent. Scales 
cover about half the pips, and end in lengthened 
acute points at the lower part of the fruit, but near 
the summit they are much shorter. Flesh pale yel- 
low, soft, with little fibre, very delicate and highly 



43 



flavoured. Crown very small, contributing, in con- 
tinuation from the fruit, to give the whole the sharp 
termination of a regular cone. The leaves are re- 
flexed, and considerably tinged with reddish brown. 

Waved Leaved (Ananassa debilis). — Spines small. 
Colour of flower pale purple. Form of fruit oblong. 
Quality second rate. Average weight 3-pbs. Leaves 
large, flacid, spreading, wavy, dark green, slightly 
mealy above, and stained with dark purple ; teeth 
reddish, small equal sized ; the full grown leaves 
are about three feet long, and a well grown fruiting 
plant occupies a space of about three feet in dia- 
meter. Flowers pale purple. Fruit oblong, or tun- 
shaped ; before ripening very dark green, when ripe 
dull yellow, with a greenish cast on one side ; nearly 
destitute of mealiness. Pips projecting, middle sized, 
pointed as long as the scales, the uppermost of which 
are nearly destitute of a point, the lowest have a 
withered, deeply-toothed point. Flesh yellow, trans- 
parent, very tender, delicate, and juicy ; flavour ex- 
tremely pleasant, with a slightly perceptible acid. 
Core woody. Crown large, not disposed to become 
cockscomb-shaped, or to be proliferous. 

Welbeck Seedling (Cockscomb, Crown, Prickly 
Providence). — This sort is readily distinguished from 
all others by its leaves, which are long, slender and 
spreading, broad at the base, and tapering to a very 
acute point ; of a dull green and only slightly mealy. 
Spines large, far asunder and regular. Flowers small, 
dark purple. Fruit somewhat cylindrical, generally 
broader at the top than at the base ; before, ripening 
dark olive ; when ripe, pale lemon colour ; very 
mealy on the centre of the pips, which are large, flat, 
rather wrinkled and depressed in the centre. Scales 
covering nearly half the pips, ending in short blunt 
points. The flesh is very pale yellow, almost white, 
semi-transparent, melting and juicy, slightly acid, 



44 



with a rich agreeable flavour. Crown rather large, 
sometimes cockscomb-shaped, leaves not very numer- 
ous. 

Worthy's West Indian^ see Black Antigua. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF EXCELLENCE. 

The perfection of pine-growing is not only obtaining 
them of a large size, handsome proportions, and full 
flavour, but in regular succession throughout the 
year. Upon the last circumstance we have no opin- 
ions to offer in the present section, but it will be a 
portion of that devoted to the culture of this fruit. 

The characteristics of excellence are health and 
vigour in the plant, with a strong, bold shew of fruit, 
good height in the number of pips, strength of stalk, 
and the fruit boldly up in sight, the blossoming strong 
and of a dark colour, with a fruit swelling freely and 
quickly after every pip is perfectly well set ; the 
swelling to be even throughout, without any defor- 
mity ; and the crown proportionate, small and sturdy ; 
colour, bright ; and if the juice is oozing from the 
rind as thick as honey, and, when cut and handled, 
it is found to be much heavier than its apparent size 
betokened, and its flavour exquisite and superior, the 
specimen will be first rate. 

Respecting the size of the crown, a pine plant will 
never produce one unsightly and unproportioned if 



4.3 



some mistake has not crept into its culture. A Queen 
pine, in depth 1 2 pips, and fully 1 2 inches in length, 
with its pips swelled out evenly from stem to crown, 
and measuring from 18 to 20 inches in circumference, 
will weigh from 6 to 81bs. A crown on such a fruit 
should he no more than 3 inches in length, and it 
should be rather sturdy and perfectly upright. We 
have swelled a Queen pine of 8y inches in depth to 
the weight of 61b. 4oz., with a crown on its summit 
only 2 inches high ; the fruit was 22 inches in cir- 
cumference, and nearly the same size at the summit 
as it was at its base. It is very possible that fruit, 
with nearly double the number of pips in depth, may 
at some future day be swelled out to a size in propor- 
tion to the above. 

The Moscow Queen is a strong grower, and will, 
under good management, produce larger fruit than 
the other varieties of Queen. It is a very good va- 
riety, though generally considered not so high in fla- 
vour as the Queen, and lighter in colour. A well 
swelled fruit does not look well with a crown more 
than 3 inches in height. 

The Black Jamaica is a superior fruit at all seasons. 
We have no better variety for swelling and flavour in 
the winter season. If it shews a fruit strongly, with 
seven or eight pips in depth, and is swelled out to 
the circumference of 22 inches by 9 inches in depth, 
it is a handsome fruit ; and if the crown is managed 



46 



in proportion, it should not be more than 3 inches in 
length. Such a fruit will weigh 71bs. or more, if 
very full of juice. 

The Green Olive is another superior winter-swelling 
variety. It does not produce a fruit very large, but 
good flavoured ; is firm and heavy, weighing accord- 
ing to its size. The largest and heaviest cut at Bic- 
ton weighed 61bs. 4oz. ; the fruit was 10 inches in 
length and 17 inches in circumference; the crown 
was not quite 2 inches high. 

The Enville is a handsome pine when of superior 
growth, and well proportioned from stem to crown. 
Its quality is coarser than that of the foregoing, and 
not so high in flavour ; it requires to be eaten imme- 
diately after being cut, being apt to become insipid if 
kept even a short time. A healthy young plant has 
produced a fruit between 9 and lOlbs. in weight, 24 
inches in circumference near the base, rather above 4 
inches in length, and the crown not quite 3 inches 
high. It is not a fruit heavy in proportion to its di- 
mensions. 

The Old Globe is esteemed by some on account of 
its erectly-growing foliage not taking so much room 
as others of more spreading growth. It requires cut- 
ting as soon as it commences colouring, and to be 
hung up in a dry, airy situation, to perfect its colour. 
It must then be eaten immediately, or it will soon lose 
its flavour. Mr. Barnes has grown a fruit of this 



47 



variety 7lbs. in weight, and but little more than 8 
inches in length. It is a heavy weighing fruit if well 
swelled, and the crown, to look correspondingly, 
should be no more than 3 inches in length. 

The Russian Globe will weigh 6 or 71bs., or even 
more if well cultivated. The pips, if well swelled, 
are very flat, and, like the other black varieties, it re- 
quires to be eaten early after being cut, or its flavour 
will be much reduced. 

The Providence attains a large size, and certainly 
has a noble appearance ; but it requires much room, 
the leaves, if well cultivated, growing long, broad, 
and very spreading. If full vigour is supported 
throughout its growth, this variety will produce im- 
mense sized fruit, with pips very large at the base, 
and flat. A fruit weighing 121bs. does not look dis- 
proportioned, if its crown is more than 4 inches 
high. 

The sizes mentioned in the proceeding selection 
exceed the averages assigned to the several varieties 
in the alphabetical list we have given, but then the 
larger sizes have been attained under the improved 
mode of cultivation adopted at Bicton. Dr. Lindley 
is quite right in observing that a gardener was thought 
something of thirty years ago who could make his 
Queen Pines average 2lbs. ; and a 2^1b. fruit was a 
prodigy. Moreover, all those men who continue to 
follow the routine of cultivation which was then 



48 



adopted, obtain the same result, and yet they still 
fondly believe that they continue at the head of this 
branch of their profession. "When they see announced 
that heavier pines are procured in various gardens, 
some of them doubt, others flatly contradict the state- 
ment, while a third section cry out at the injury occa- 
sioned them by such announcements. "Where are 
these gardens of Bicton," says one, " in which 
Queens average above 5^1bs. ?" He does not give 
himself the trouble to consult his map, which would 
have told him that they are near Sidmouth, and be- 
long to Lady Rolle. 

So far is pine-growing from having reached its 
acme that it is the opinion of persons well capable of 
judging correctly, that we shall some day have Queen 
pine apples of lOlbs. weight. We do not think this 
improbable, for we can perceive no reason to the con- 
trary, and much in favour of the expectation. In 
short, now that pine apples are treated like tropical 
plants, there is a chance for them to attain super-ex- 
cellence ; whilst, so long as gardeners persevered in 
docking their roots, the wonder was that the pines did 
not refuse to grow at all. (Gard. Chron. 1845, 815.) 

With regard to the objection, that some gardeners, 
by growing large pines, injure those who grow those 
which are smaller, this can only happen, and justly, 
to those who will not do better. What a gardener 
should do, is to set before his master the relative ex- 



49 



pense of growing Queens to the weight of 3 or 41bs., 
and 6 or 71bs., and then to inquire which he prefers. 
In the majority of cases he would find his master 
preferring the smaller size, if well grown ; because it 
is only on special occasions that very heavy pines are 
really wanted ; and always to place on the table a 
Queen of 61bs. weight, where one of only 31bs. is re- 
quired, would be unnecessary waste. There is, how- 
ever, no family where pines are cultivated, in which 
to have the largest possible fruit, occasionally, is not 
a desideratum. If it were not so, the Providence 
and Enville pine apples, which have little but size to 
recommend them, would go out of cultivation. 
Again, the surplus pines, in many gardens, are regu- 
larly sent to market, and in that case it would have 
to be ascertained which is the most profitable, a crop 
of very large, or of middle sized, well-grown pines. 
And it is in this way that market gardeners probably 
view the question. They grow what best suits the 
market, and what will produce them the most profit. 
(Ibid. 1844, 131.) 

We will remark, in conclusion, that if a pine apple 
is required to keep as long as possible, its crown 
should be removed, for the vegetation of the crown 
injures the flavour, upon the same principle that an 
onion or carrot is similarly deteriorated when it be- 
gins to sprout in the spring. 



E 



50 



MODES OF PROPAGATION. 

There is no doubt that the natural modes of propa- 
gating the pine apple are by seeds and suckers, but 
to these, the gardener's art has added propagation by 
the crown and cuttings of the stem. We have a 
strong opinion that, like other fleshy -leaved plants, 
it might be propagated, also, by leaves slipped off 
from the bottom of the stem. 

Seeds. — The seeds are small, dark brown, not un- 
like those of the Siberian crab, and are contained 
within the pips or protuberances of the fruit. Mr. 
Speechley was of opinion, that its seed is rarely per- 
fected either in this country, or even in the West 
Indies. The latter was certainly an error even when 
Mr. Speechley wrote, and under the better mode of 
cultivation now adopted, seed is also of very frequent 
occurrence in fruit ripened in this country. We can 
state this from actual observation ; and moreover from 
similar experience, we think, that if practical men 
were to address themselves to hybridising the best 
varieties now in cultivation, we should very soon have 
others very superior even to their parents, and of a 
much hardier nature than any we have in cultivation 
at present. Three years ago, Mr. Barnes sowed three 
seeds of an Enville pine, given to him by Lady Rolle. 
They were sown in lightish turfy loam, mixed with a 
little charcoal, well drained in a 7-inch pot, filled to 



51 



within an inch of the top. The seeds were placed 
near the centre, upon the soil, and covered 3-8ths of 
an inch deep with the same kind of soil, mixed with 
a little charcoal dust and sharp sand, to prevent its 
binding. The pot was plunged to the rim, at front 
of the fruiting pines, in the stove, in a very moderate 
heat of barely 80 degs. at that time, and the atmos- 
pheric heat kept about 60 degs. or barely so much. 
The surface of the soil was covered with a bell glass. 
The seeds quickly vegetated, and the seedlings were 
above the surface like sturdy grass plants, in the course 
of twenty days from the time of sowing. They were 
pricked into thumb pots, making use of the same 
kind of soil, rather sandy and open with charcoal, the 
thumb pots placed each inside another pot, filled 
with porous rooty soil, and then plunged to the rim 
again in the same situation, under a bell glass ; 
watering and giving air as they required it, dispensing 
with the glass altogether as they became established, 
and shifting them into larger pots when necessary. 
By the month of March, in the following spring, they 
were become sturdy plants, with leaves 5 or 6 inches 
in length, thick and fleshy, and were placed amongst 
the other succession plants. They differed materially 
from each other, and not one resembled their parent, 
the true Enville variety, either in countenance, colour, 
or habit, of plant or foliage. Each plant fruited 
within two years and a half from the time of sowing 
e 2 



52 



tlie seed, producing pretty, sizeable, well-swelled 
fruit, and were spoken of as being high flavoured, but 
differing in size and shape from each other ; one only 
was of a pyramidal shape, similar to the Enville, 
but not in colour, and the other two were somewhat 
oval shaped. There was, at the time the parent En- 
ville was in bloom, in the same house, some Queens, 
a Black Jamaica, and a Green Olive. ¥e cannot ac- 
count for the hybridising which certainly did take 
place, farther than the bee had free access at the 
time of ventilation. 

Mr. Speechley's directions for raising seedlings are 
as follows : — The pots should be prepared and filled 
with soil to within one inch of the top, and plunged 
in a warm part of the tan-bed, a day or two before 
the seed is sown, that the soil may become heated. 
The seeds should be sown an inch apart, and covered 
to the depth of about a quarter of an inch. Place a 
piece of glass over the top of the pot, to which it 
should fit very close, or cover the whole with a small 
hand glass ; this, by preventing the mould from dry- 
ing, and giving an additional heat to it near the sur- 
face, will soon cause the seeds to vegetate. Neither 
air nor water will be required till the plants begin to 
appear, when a little air should be given in the day- 
time only; let the plants be sprinkled over with water 
every four or five days, in case the weather is fine and 
clear ; but should it prove dark and moist, once in ten 



53 



days will be sufficient. As the plants advance in size, 
a greater quantity of air should be given them in 
proportion to their progress, and by the time they 
have six or eight leaves, they will have strength to 
withstand the general air of the hot-house, and from 
that time will require a little water twice a week. 
The first leaves of seedling pines are very small and 
tender, much resembling the smallest blades of grass ; 
the plants therefore should by no means be left un- 
covered till they have acquired strength, as the Onisci 
or Wood-lice (with which most hot-houses abound) 
would in one night destroy the hopes of the crop. 
It will also be advisable, when the glasses are first 
taken off the pots, to sprinkle the plants with water, 
and immediately dust them with a little snuif or to- 
bacco-dust, which, being put into a puff, or small 
piece of gauze, may be thrown upon them with ease ; 
a very small quantity will prevent those insects from 
injuring the plants. This method will also secure 
other young and tender plants, kept in hot-houses, 
from the like accident. By the end of August the 
Seedling pines will be grown to a proper size for trans- 
planting, when they should be put into small pots 
filled with the same mould recommended for crowns 
and suckers ; and from that time their treatment re- 
quires no difference from that of the others. (Speechley 
on the Pine Apple, 256.) 

Suckers, — There was formerly a prejudice against 



54 



propagating the pine apple from suckers, but this pre- 
judice has departed, since finer fruit has been proved 
to be more easily attainable from them than from 
crowns, and that vigorously growing plants are those 
only which will produce it. Suckers usually and 
most readily produce vigorous plants. Always select 
the finest suckers, and from those plants only which 
have produced very superior fruit. 

If a stool is not intended to be refruited from, as 
soon as its fruit is cut, take out the old stool, strip 
down the leaves, and cut off a piece of the stem or 
trunk with a hatchet or strong knife to the length of 
3 inches or thereabouts, with a sucker or two grow- 
ing from it. Do not usually allow more than two to 
grow on a plant ; if it offers to produce more, twist 
them out carefully in a young state, but a strong 
healthy plant will not put forth a superfluity of 
suckers, unless subjected to extreme heat, cold, or 
the application of water to the axils of the leaves. 
Subjecting plants to sudden checks is the readiest 
method of producing a stock of plants. Plant imme- 
diately the pieces of stem in the pots, and the suckers 
will maintain their vigorous health almost unchecked ; 
if care be taken in potting, and plunging of the 
pots afterwards, and attention paid to giving metho- 
dical syringing, or sprinklings with tepid water over 
and about the structure. The pots will be full of 
roots within 15 or 18 days, and will soon make vigor- 
ous plants. 



55 



The size of the pots for the suckers must be regu- 
lated according to their size. Most of the suckers 
at Bicton are at once placed into pots varying from 
7 to 12 inches diameter; and the suckers have, 
usually, but one shift afterwards. They are not en- 
tirely confined to the one shift, but this is regulated 
by circumstances and seasons. At Bicton there is 
not the means of commanding a humid warm air suf- 
ficient for a bottom heat, therefore they are plunged 
in a very moderate bottom heat of fermenting mate- 
rials, such as a little half-decayed tan or leaves placed 
on faggots : they put forth abundance of roots and 
grow quickly. Of course they should never at any 
season of the year be allowed to remain until pot- 
bound, or the roots in the pots become matted 
together ; but always repot or shift when they require 
it, no matter what time in the season it may be. 
No month or season of year is unsuited for this ope- 
ration. 

From growing plants, not jntended to be disturbed, 
suckers cannot with safety be taken till they are grown 
to the length of 12 or 14 inches, when their bottoms 
will be brown, hard, woody, and full of small round 
knobs, which are the rudiments of the roots. It 
would endanger their breaking if they were to be taken 
off sooner. When the suckers are taken off, the 
operation should be preformed with great care, that 
neither plant nor sucker may be injured. To prevent 



56 



which, on e hand should be placed at the bottom of 
the plant to keep it steady ; the other as near as 
possible to the bottom of the sucker ; after which, 
the sucker should be moved two or three times back- 
wards and forwards in a side way direction, and it will 
fall off with its bottom entire. Whereas, when a 
sucker is bent downwards immediately from the plant, 
it frequently either breaks off in the stem, or splits at 
the bottom. (Speechly on the Pine Apple, 260.) 

Some, most erroneously, think it necessary to dry 
crowns and suckers before potting them, and for that 
purpose lay them on the shelves, &c of the stove for 
a week or ten days. By this treatment, they certainly 
may be hurt, but cannot be improved, provided they 
have been fully matured before being taken off from 
the fruit or stocks, and that these have previously had 
no water for about ten days. They will succeed as 
well, or better, if planted the hour they are taken off, 
as if treated in any other way. 

It is quite true that large suckers have been known 
to vegetate after lying in a hot-house unplanted dur- 
ing the six summer months, but this only proves their 
tenacity of life. Cut the base of the sucker smooth 
before planting. 

Mr. Mills agrees in recommending the suckers to be 
planted immediately after separation from the fruit. 
He says, that planting crowns or suckers of pines in 
pots, as soon as removed from the parent plants, is 



57 



doubtless better than drying them, as is sometimes 
practised. Pots proportioned to the size of the sucker 
or crown are best, namely, for small suckers, forty- 
eights ; for ordinary sized suckers, thirty-twos ; and for 
large ones, twenty-fours. It is good, at whatever season 
this potting is done, to plunge the pots containing the 
plants into a good lively bottom-heat of, say, 100 
degs., with 70 degs. of top heat. Those who require 
ripe fruit every month in the year, will do well to 
plant suckers as often, there being on all suckers that 
are perfect, a quantity of embryo roots formed at the 
base, so that they may be detached from the parent, 
without risk, at any season ; and if planted as advised, 
they will make roots freely ; and if they do so, in 
either of the three months of winter, namely, Novem- 
ber, December, or January, it will be best to raise the 
pots a little, so as to let them have at their roots about 
80 degs. of heat, and at the top from 55 to 60 degs. 
of heat, with a good quantity of air ; and when they 
have filled their pots with roots, that is, when the 
roots are sufficiently extended to prevent the earth 
falling from them on being turned out of the pots, 
the plant is in a good state to be placed in a larger 
pot. It is a bad practice to allow the roots to grow 
too long against the sides of the pot, as such roots 
frequently rot when the plant is placed in a larger pot. 
A pine plant may be shifted into a larger pot, at any 
season of the year, to its advantage, except during the 



58 



three months before named. {Mills on Fine Apple, 
27.) 

The suckers emanating from plants when growing 
without pots, have nearly double the substance of 
those produced under the pot system, however well 
cultivated. Those suckers which are not ripe by the 
middle of September let remain on the plants which 
produced them until March following ; for they are 
very apt to rot, not only when taken off very succu- 
lent, but likewise if taken off later in the season than 
September. Each plant generally yields from two to 
five or six suckers at a time. The season for propa- 
gation is according to the time the plants that are in 
fruit prduce the suckers ; which is principally in June, 
July, and August, according as the plants are in for- 
wardness ; though the plants will grow at any time. 
It may however be observed, that they are always fit 
to be taken off for propagation, when they appear 
brownish at the bottom ; they are to be slipped or 
drawn off carefully with the hand, (not cut) in a side- 
ways direction. When they are taken off, they should 
be divested of a few of the lower leaves at the bottom, 
where they are expected to strike root ; where they 
assume a brown colour at the bottom, and form little 
knobs, which are the embryos of future roots. These 
suckers being ripe, having had their full growth on 
the mother-plant, they should be planted directly into 
pots (the first size), and plunged into the bark-bed in 



59 



the nursery-stove. In cases where there is a want 
of plants, when the old plant produces ripe fruit, and 
no suckers from the bottom, as soon as the fruit is 
cut, trim the leaves of the old stools, giving them 
freely of water, and it will dispose them soon to send 
forth several suckers. {Griffin on Fine Apple, 35.) 

Some persons indeed raise objections against those 
suckers that are produced late and near the roots, 
and call them contemptuously underground suckers. 
But they will produce as fine fruit as any other 
plants. 

Mr. Hamilton's treatment of suckers is as fol- 
lows : — 

Suckers taken off in October, or November, plant 
into pots, from five-and-a-half to six-and-a-half inches 
diameter at the top, and plunge over head in the 
tan : this causes them to strike root in a very 
short time. In this state let them remain, without 
any water, except occasionally sprinkling them with 
the syringe, and this, in the winter season, only in 
the early part of the day. In March, transplant into 
pots from seven to eight inches at the top ; and at 
this shifting, plunge up to their rims, in a heat of 
about 85 or even 90 degs. for a week or two after 
potting, to accelerate their striking root into the fresh 
soil. As soon as plunged, sprinkle them over their 
leaves with water, two or three degs. warmer than the 



60 



atmosphere in the house ; and this mode of watering 
ought to be repeated twice a day, in the summer 
season, except in very cloudy weather, when steaming 
the house will be found to keep the atmosphere and 
the plants sufficiently moist; but as the season 
advances, only water the plants over their leaves in 
the evening, at the time of closing the house, whilst 
the sun is still shining on the glass, and before its 
rays are much diminished. As soon as the heat rises 
in the tan, give a good watering at their roots, at this 
season, to settle the soil about them, but after this 
watering the soil ought to be kept sufficiently moist 
by watering the plants all over their leaves, every 
evening, after sunny days. About the latter end of 
May, again shift into larger pots, but at every one of 
these shiftings the bed must be replenished with 
fresh fermenting materials, as a brisk bottom heat is 
of the greatest importance for two or three weeks, 
after the plants have been fresh potted. If there is 
much sun at the time, shade the plants, rather than 
give much air, for a week or two after potting ; but 
at all other periods they ought to have plenty of air. 
The size of the pots, at this shifting, ought to be 
from nine to ten inches diameter at the top. The 
plants are every way treated as before, well watered 
over their leaves, after bright sunny days ; also 
plenty of water thrown on the pathways, or on the 



61 



flues, pipes, &c. If the plants are intended to be 
turned out into the tan in the autumn, they may thus 
remain until the bed is ready for them, but if they 
are to be fruited in pots the following season, they 
ought to have their last shift early in August. The 
size of the pots required will be from eleven to 
twelve inches diameter at the top, and in order to 
grow the Queen varieties, as well as the Enville, to a 
large size, they ought to have their last shift ten or 
twelve months previously to fruiting. {Hamilton on 
Pine Apple, 64.) 

On the potting of suckers, Mr. Dodemeade fur- 
nishes the following directions : — 

He commences potting the strongest suckers early 
in March, the largest in twenty-four-sized pots, the 
smaller in thirty-twos, and plunges them in the pit 
as the potting proceeds, paying strict attention that 
the bottom heat does not rise too high. He preferred 
a bottom heat of from 80 to 90 degs., but never ex- 
ceeding the latter, as he had found, by experience, 
that 100 degs. was dangerous, and 110 degs. had 
proved fatal, not only to fresh potted suckers, but to 
established plants. But little water is given till the 
roots reach the sides of the pots. As the weather 
becomes warm and sunny, it is applied more liberally, 
the water being about 70 degs. On fine sunny days, 
if the inside of the pit appears dry, a slight sprink- 
ling of tepid water all over the plants and sides of the 



62 



pit was found most beneficial, as a moist growing 
top heat of 80 to 100 degs. will facilitate the rooting 
and growing of the plants. A slight shading was 
found necessary on clear days. By the middle of 
May, if all goes on well, they require shifting, the 
largest plants into large sixteens, the smallest into 
twenty-fours, being careful to retain the ball entire. 
After shifting they are slightly shaded, and the 
house is kept close for ten days or a fortnight, after 
which, air is given early in the morning, on fine days, 
increasing it as the day advances. The thermometer 
should range from 80 to 90 degs. as it is necessary 
the plants in this stage should grow at railway speed. 
He waters with diluted manure-water. (Gard. Journ. 
1845, 200.) 

Crowns. — We never attempt to propagate by 
crowns, being quite convinced that it is an unnatural 
mode of propagation, and that if repeated during a 
series of years the size and excellence of the fruit 
would be gradually diminished. Plants, raised from 
crowns, are longer in producing fruit than others 
raised from suckers, and the fruit is more shallow 
pipped. Nevertheless, it is a mode frequently prac- 
tised, and when crowns are employed we recommend 
that the part by which they were attached to the 
fruit should be cut quite smooth, and that they be 
planted immediately. In fact, as has been justly 
observed — 



63 



Crowns may be treated just the same as any other 
cutting, the base to be cut smooth, with a few of the 
under leaves picked off ; and then to be planted 
in pots according to their size, and plunged into tan 
or leaves with a good bottom heat, placing them as 
near the glass as possible, keeping the pit moist, ex- 
cluding the air, and shading during sunshine ; little 
water is to be given till they make roots, when they 
should be gently syringed over the leaves, giving a 
little at the same time to the roots. (Gard. Journ. 
1845, 141). 

The cutting off the soft end that is twisted out of 
the fruit, prevents the bottom of the plants from rot- 
ting, for it remains to the last in the same state as it 
was when cut off. If employed for propagation, as 
the crowns are taken off daily during the fruiting 
season, as little time should be lost as possible in 
planting them. There is no necessity to use pots for 
them, but a hole may be made in the bark two or 
three inches deep, into which the plants may be put 
and made fast. When they have been a week or ten 
days in the bark, they should have a little water once 
every five or six days ; they may be continued in 
rows, as they come to hand, planting them within 
three or four inches of each other ; and if there 
are any crowns that are taken off during the winter 
months, they may be planted in the same manner. 
(Griffin on Pine Apple, 33). 



64 



Cuttings of the Stem. — All pine apples may be 
propagated in this mode, as a bnd is formed in the 
axil of almost every leaf, and in the caje of the Provi- 
dence and other pines, which are shy producers of 
suckers, it is a mode of propagation often necessarily 
practised. 

For the following directions we are indebted to Mr. 
Mills :— 

Divest the stem of all its leaves, then cut it hori- 
zontally into lengths of two or three inches, according 
as the buds are situated ; then split each length 
longitudinally down its centre, taking care not to 
injure the embryc plants in the operation ; this done, 
let pots be filled to within two or three inches of 
their rims with soil well drained, and on this each 
piece is to be placed on its flat surface, with its buds 
upwards. The whole surface of the soil may be 
closely planted in this manner, and then let the slips 
be covered about one inch deep with heath soil, and 
receive a gentle watering (they should be kept in a 
moist state at all times) ; then the pots containing 
them should be plunged into a heat of 100 degs. 
Air will not be required until the plants show 
themselves above ground, which will be in three or 
four weeks, when they must have air as other plants. 
Each piece of the old trunk so divided emits roots 
freely, and the young plants also, when about two or 
three inches above the ground. When well rooted, if 



65 



to be grown on the pot system, the young plants 
should be potted singly into forty-eights or thirty- 
twos, and on good bottom heat, and be near the 
glass to prevent their being drawn up weak, with a 
top heat of 65 to 85 degs. during the growing sea- 
son, with plenty of air and moisture, and occasional 
shade. (Mills on Pine Apple, 72). 



SOIL AND MANURES. 

It is quite true that the pine apple will root and grow 
in almost any permeable medium. Mr Hamilton has 
employed nothing but undecayed tan for the purpose ; 
Mr. Oldacre was equally successfully with powdered 
bones alone ; and Mr. Brown, gardener at Mere vale 
Hall, is strongly in favour of peat without any mix- 
ture. He says, those who have the good fortune to 
reside near good peaty soil need not be afraid of using 
it wholly in which to grow pines. For plants that 
are to fruit in winter, peat is excellent, on account of 
its loose texture. Pines planted in a mixture of half 
charcoal and loam, fruit very well. All sand gives no 
one cause of complaint ; on the contrary, it should 
rather be recommended, for the roots become very 
strong in it, and the rootlets are extremely numer- 
ous. It is not of much importance what kind of 
material pines are grown in, provided the roots are in 

F 



66 



a healthy active state, and free from sudden changes 
of bottom heat. Mr. Brown gives the following as 
the results to young plants potted in August. 



Sort. 



Compost. 



Description. 



Globe 

Queen .... 
W. Providence 
Queen .... 



All peat .... 
Sandy peat . . 
Loamy peat . . 
Half sand and 
loam. . . . 



St. Vincent 



Peaty loam . . 



Queen .... 
St. Vincent 



All peat . . 
Half sand and 

peat 
Rich loam 



Grown well ; excellently rooted 
Strong growth ; excellently rooted 
Grown well ; and well rooted 

Grown tolerably well ; not very 

well rooted 
Of fair growth; not very well 

rooted 

Grown well ; excellently rooted 



Grown well ; excellently rooted 

Queen Rich loam . . Excellent growth ; but not so 

well rooted as those in peat 

Queen Sand and lime Scarcely made any growth ; and 

look very yellow. 

(Gard. Chron. 1841, 503, 765.) 

Now this may be, and doubtless is, all perfectly 
true ; for there is no doubt that, with very assiduous 
attention to a due temperature, due moisture, and a 
proper supply of liquid manure, pine apples might 
be made to grow even in a mass of small shot. But, 
then, in proportion as the medium employed for them 
to root in is of a sterile character, must the care at- 
tendant upon their cultivation be increased. Such 
extravagancies may be characterised as the art of 
growing pine apples with the greatest amount of 
trouble. 

Although it is doubtless true that pine apples can be 



67 



grown in almost any pervious inoxious medium, so is 
it equally certain that there are soils which they pre- 
fer, and in which they succeed best and most readily. 
It is so where they grow wild; for in Brazil the 
pine-apple is found near the sea-shore ; the sand 
accumulated there in downs serving for its growth, as 
well as for that of most of the species of the same 
family. The place where the best pine-apples are 
cultivated is of a similar nature. In the sandy plains 
of Praga velha and Praga grande, formed by the re- 
ceding of the sea, and in which no other plant will 
thrive, are the spots where the pine-apple thrives best. 
The cause of this lies evidently in the composition of 
the sand, which chiefly consists of salt, lime from 
decomposed shells, and a very little vegetable mould. 
Warmth, lime, salt, and moisture, seem therefore to 
be the principal ingredients in which the pine-apple 
thrives. Sand will take a very high and continued 
degree of warmth, being often heated by the sun so 
much as to scorch vegetation, and yet it seldom dries 
to a greater depth than from 8 to 12 inches. Sea salt 
is well known for its property of attracting the noc- 
turnal damps, and retaining them a long time. The 
lime of the shells seems to be the principal manure, 
which has also been proved by the English in the 
Brazils, who, by manuring their pine-apples with a 
mixture of powdered oyster-shells with vegetable 
earth, produce very large fruit. The natural mould, 
f 2 



68 



usually slightly mixed with sand, is partly of a vege- 
table and partly of a mineral origin. 

The treatment of the plants in Brazil is very simple. 
As the fruit ripens in January, the young suckers 
from the roots are taken off in April or May, and 
planted in the newly cleaned fields at a distance from 
1^ to 2 feet from each other, and the strongest of 
them produce fruit in the following year, seldom 
weighing above 3 or 41bs. ; but those which do not 
fruit the second year, grow very large, and their fruit 
often weighs from lOlbs. to 12lbs. 

In the Bahama Islands the pine apple affords still 
stronger evidence that it is not indifferent as to the soil 
in which it roots. The Hon. J. C. Lees, writing from 
New Providence, says, in those islands is a very red 
soil, in which alone the pine apple will grow. There 
are two other kinds of soil ; one, a very white calca- 
reous soil, consisting of chiefly finely pulverized Mad- 
repore limestone, in which the maize or Indian corn 
grows remarkably well ; and the other, a deep black 
soil, almost entirely vegetable, and very light, in which 
many things grow luxuriantly, but in neither of them 
will the pine apple grow at all. The red soil does 
not, as far as pines are concerned, appear to be im- 
proved by manure. Mr. Lees planted several in the 
same bed, some without manure, and others with 
different proportions of stable-manure ; between those 
in the natural soil and those slightly manured, he 



69 



could perceive no difference ; but beyond this, in pro- 
portion to the quantity of manure, so did the plants 
decline and turn white. He tried plants in composts 
of charcoal and manure, and of charcoal, earth (cal- 
careous,) and guano, but without success ; nothing 
seeming to suit them here but their favourite red soil. 
Mr. Solly examined this soil, and says it is free from 
stones ; and though it appears to consist in great part 
of a coarse ferruginous sand, on examination is found 
to contain no sand, being easily rubbed to an impalpa- 
ble powder in a mortar, and showing no grittiness 
under the pestle. A portion of the soil, freed from 
the larger fragments of wood, roots, and bark, which 
it contained, gave an analysis of the following com- 
position, in ten thousand parts : — 



Silica .. .. 3090 

Alumina . . . . . . 2400 

Oxide of iron .. 1832 

Lime (chiefly as carbonate) . . 132 

Magnesia . . . . . . 8 

Potash in a soluble state . . 5 

Potash combined with earthy l ^ 

matter . . . . J 

Phosphate of iron . . . . 9 

Sulphuric acid . . . 2 

Chlorine . . . . . 4 

Ammonia . . . . a trace 

Organic matter . . . . 990 

Water .. .. .. 1508 



10,000 



70 



The soil is chiefly remarkable for the usually large 
proportion of oxide of iron which it contains, but in 
the absence of an analysis of the pine apple plant, no 
very accurate conclusion can be drawn as to the 
peculiar excellence of this earth for its cultivation. 
(Hort. Soc. Journ. i. 126.) 

We find that in this country the best soil for the 
pine apple is a rough turfy loam, well sweetened and 
broken down. We prefer, above all, a heathy turf, 
with the roots and its natural vegetation all with it ; 
never breaking it until at the potting bench, as the 
process of potting is going on. Then we break the 
sods, which are mostly chosen about two or three 
inches in thickness, in such kind of pieces as we can 
thrust into the pots, putting in, as we proceed, some 
pieces of charcoal, always taking care to drain the 
pots carefully, which is one of the chief essentials. 
Our drainage is principally coarse charcoal, averaging 
one-fourth of broken rubbly potsherds, which are 
placed first round about the bottom ; then, if it is a 
seven-inch pot, for a sucker, the drainage averages 
two inches at least ; and if fifteen or eighteen-inch 
pots, which are the largest fruiting pots we make use 
of, the drainage is employed in a coarser state, and 
about two inches more of it, and the soil too is thrust 
into the pots rougher — brambles, furze, heath, and 
grass, altogether — with no other kind of manure, 
besides an occasional lump or handful of rubbly 



71 



charcoal, merely to fill up some of the crevices. It 
is not rammed, that is to say, not pounded, or jammed 
together in the same way potting is too often done, 
but pushed down as we proceed, quietly. Thus the 
soil is really a whole body of drainage — there is no 
obstruction either to the atmosphere or the water. 
{Johnson's Modern Gard. Diet.) 

At Bicton the following mode of preparing the soil 
for pine apples from the top turfy spit of a common 
is adopted by Mr. Barnes. In dry weather during 
summer, a naturally well drained part of the common 
is selected, and the top layer is cut from it with all its 
native herbage by means of a turf mattock. This 
turf is turned upside down, with the soil side to the 
influence of the sun and atmosphere for some days 
until dry ; it is then packed in cocks, as poor people 
would turf to burn, to secure it from rain, and then 
carted home as quickly as possible, and placed on a 
foundation of rough wood to the width of 4 feet, 
placing a quantity of rough wood between it as it is 
stacked, to prevent its fermentation, or the breeding 
of fungi, and to insure its entire healthiness until re- 
quired for use. It is stacked 5 or 6 feet in height, 
being finished off in the form of a ridged or pitched 
roof, which is at once thatched. To insure looseness 
of texture, as every turf is taken from the stack for 
use, a hard blow or two is given to it on the soil side. 
This is done with a heavy piece of wood of 2 inches 



72 



diameter and about 2 feet in length, called at Bicton 
" the potting bench batten. 55 The porosity thus 
secured, is of more consequence than may appear at 
first sight to some, who may imagine it a new-fangled 
system. 

That a turfy loam is the best possible principle 
ingredient in pine apple soil, has been admitted ever 
since its cultivation attracted notice in this country. 
It is so laid down by nearly all writers upon the sub- 
ject, but as they generally offer some instructive hints, 
we shall concentrate their directions pretty much in 
the order of time in which they appeared, warning 
our readers, however, against adopting those composts 
in which rich manures are prominently employed. 

Mr. Giles, next to Mr. Justice, the earliest original 
writer in England on this fruit, says that the soil 
should be a rich hazely loam, taken from a well-pas- 
tured common, or what is called virgin-earth. Not- 
withstanding the directions given by several authors 
to make compositions of various soils, this answers 
much better, not only for pine-apple plants but for 
most other vegetables. (Giles on Ananas, 13.) 

Mr. Taylor recommends one load of mould from 
under the turf of a good pasture, and, if it be very 
light, the fourth part of a load of good mellow loam 
to be added to it. But, if it be itself of a loamy 
nature, to mix with it two or three bushels of sea- 
sand. Then take the fourth part of a load of dung 



73 



from a cow-yard, but, if not procurable, take the 
same quantity of good rotten dung from an old cucum- 
ber or melon bed. Mix these well together, and turn 
the whole three or four times. All the large clods 
should be well broken, but not sifted or screened. 
{Taylor on the Pine Apple, 14.) 

Mr. Speechley, writing a few years later, says, in the 
month of April or May, let the swarth or turf of a 
pasture, where the soil is a strong rich loam, and of a 
reddish colour, be pared on , not more than two inches 
thick : let it then be carried to the pens in sheep- 
pastures, where sheep are frequently folded, which 
places should be cleared of stones, &c. and made 
smooth ; then let the turf be laid, with the grass side 
downwards, and only one course thick ; here it may 
continue two, three, or more months, during which 
time it should be turned with a spade once or twice, 
according as the pen is more or less frequented by the 
above animals, who, with their urine and dung, will 
enrich the turf to a great degree, and their feet will 
reduce it, and prevent any weeds from growing. 
After the turf has laid till the quantity of sheep's 
dung constitutes nearly one-third part, it should be 
brought to a convenient place, and laid in a heap for 
at least six months, (if a twelvemonth, it will be the 
better,) being frequently turned during that time ; 
and after being made pretty fine with a spade, but 
not screened, it will be fit for use. In places where 



74 



the above mode cannot be adopted, the mixture may- 
be made by putting a quantity of sheep's or deer's 
dung and turf together. But here it must be ob- 
served, that the dung should be collected from the 
pastures when newly fallen ; also, that a larger pro- 
portion should be added, making an allowance for the 
want of urine. 1. Three wheelbarrows of the above 
reduced swarth or soil, one barrow of vegetable mould 
from decayed leaves, and half a barrow of coarse sand, 
make a compost mould for crowns, suckers, and 
young plants. 2. Three wheelbarrows of swarth re- 
duced as above, two barrows of vegetable mould, one 
barrow of coarse sand, and one-fourth of a barrow of 
soot, make a compost mould for fruiting plants. 
(Speechley on the Pine Apple, 279.) 

Mr. Griffin, writing in 1808, recommends the fol- 
lowing compost : — 4 wheelbarrows of brown light pas- 
ture loam, 1 barrow of sheep's dung, and 2 barrows 
of swine's dung. He says that this composition, 
carefully and properly prepared, will answer for the 
growth of pine plants of every age and kind. It 
should be well mixed, and broken small with a bark 
fork, so as to be well incorporated, and should be 
fully exposed to the sun, air, rains, frosts, &c. to me- 
liorate. It should be formed in a heap, not large 
and high, but extended in length like a ridge, about 
four or five feet thick. Once every two or three 
months, at least, it ought to be turned over, and the 



75 



bottom thrown to the top, that all the parts may be 
well mixed. This is so peculiarly essential, that if 
the heap be not thus exposed, the compost would be 
far from effecting the proposed advantage to the 
plants. It is necessary that the above compost 
should remain a year in this heap or ridge. When 
you make use of this compost, it is not advisable to 
screen it for the pine plant, unless there are stones in 
it ; but, in a general way, the soil should only be 
broken fine with the spade and hands ; for, when 
fine screened or sifted, it becomes too compact for 
the roots of the plants. {Griffin on Fine Apple, 23). 

Mr. Baldwin, who wrote in 1818, directs the pine 
cultivator to strip off the turf from old pasture or 
meadow ground, and dig to the depth of six or eight 
inches, according to the goodness of the soil, draw 
the whole together to some convenient place, and 
mix it with one-half good rotten dung, frequently 
turn it over for twelve months, and it will be fit for 
use. This is the only compost either for young or 
old plants. {Baldwin on Pine Apple). 

Mr. Glendinning recommends a compost formed of 
turfy loam, of mould and fresh deer or sheep dung, 
forming them into a square heap in layers, putting 
three barrows of dung to six of loam and one of 
leaf or vegetable mould, and continuing to put the 
one after the other, until the heap is three feet high. 
No other preparation will be necessary, as it will be 



76 



fit for use in three or four months, when, with a 
sharp spade, it must be cut through the heap per- 
pendicularly, and the largest pieces again chopped. 
{Glendinning on Pine Apple, 20). 

The soil Mr. Mills uses for pot culture is three- 
fourths strong loam and heath soil in equal quantities, 
and one-fourth fresh droppings of horses, kept dry in 
a shed, and mixed wdth the soil when required for 
use. The heath soil and loam are also used fresh 
and in a rough state, the grass only being picked out 
of them during the process of chopping ; and about 
two inches thick of the surface of each. {Mills on 
Pine Apple, 45). 

Mr. Hamilton says, let the turf be stripped off an 
old pasture to the depth of two or three inches, and 
add one-third of well decomposed dung from the 
stable yard, or from an old hotbed ; to this may be 
added one tenth part of wood ashes. Let the whole 
be piled up in a ridge, and in a few weeks it will be 
fit for use. To those who have not these at hand, 
and are in immediate want of soil, the following may 
be used with great success : — Prepare a tank of liquid 
manure, into which throw your turf, and let it steep 
a few days or weeks if not wanted ; then take it out 
and dry it under a shed, after which chop it with a 
spade, and it will be fit for use. {Hamilton on Pine 
Apple, 58). 

Mr. Bodemeade says that the soil he uses for fruit - 



77 



ing plants is one-half loam, of a free fibrous nature, 
one-half fowl's and sheep' s-dung, well incorporated. 
On Norwood loam, so highly thought of by some 
pine-growers in its vicinity, Mr. Dodemeade observes, 
that he had been told that no admixture of other 
matters with it was necessary ; but if this statement 
was good in theory, it is denied in practice. Even 
the pine plants bear contrary evidence ; grown en- 
tirely in this loam, they always appear of a yellowish 
green and of a stunted growth, indicating a want of 
stimulating matter. According to his own experi- 
ence, Norwood loam only possessed one good quality 
favourable to pine-growing, viz., its soft unctuous na- 
ture rendering it open and free for the escape of 
water, and preventing it from binding hard, or crack- 
ing when used for potting ; but unless stimulating 
snbstances are adopted for the plants to subsist on, 
and to feed the fruit, a person, he thinks, might as 
well expect to see an apple change to an orange as to 
cut a 4lb. Queen pine grown entirely in this soil. 
Then, again, the composition of this loam differs ac- 
cording to the situation whence it is dug, as is shewn 
by the following analyses of two, one known as Ha- 
milton's loam, and the other the Woodman's Field 
loam : — 



78 



HAMILTON S. 

500 grains of this soil con- 
tain — GR. 
Water of absorption . 21 
Finely divided matter 
by filtration, princi- 
pally alumina . . 72 
Coarse alumina & sand 370 
Soluble matter, mostly 

alumina .... 3 

Carbonate of lime . 2 

Oxide of iron ... 7 

Loss 25 



Total 500 



WOODMAN S FIELD. 

500 grains of this soil 
contain — gr. 
Water of absorption 32 
Finely divided mat- 
ter by filtration (alu- 
mina) ... 16 
Soluble matter (alu- 
mina) . . . . \\ 
Alumina and sand 410 
Carbonate of lime 5 
Oxide of iron . . 6 
Loss ..... 29^ 



Total 500 



Although these fields joined, there is this striking 
difference in their component parts : Hamilton's loam 
is less retentive of water, but contains a larger amount 
of alumina (clay) ; that of the Woodman, less soluble 
matter by half, but of coarse clay and sand a consi- 
derably larger quantity ; also a larger portion of lime, 
with less amount of iron. The balance was pretty 
equal as to their respective worth for pot use ; if any 
difference, in favour of the Woodman, as regards lime 
and the retention of water ; and that of Hamilton in 
the amount of soluble matter by filtration ; but in 
neither was there any trace of vegetable matter : 
hence, when used simple, the cause of pine plants 
grown in it being sickly and yellow. The soil Mr. 
Dodemeade finds most adapted for suckers and 
crowns consisted of equal parts of good mellow loam 



79 



and decomposed leaf mould. For succession plants 
he uses one-half good turfy loam and one-half leaf 
mould, decomposed cows' and fowls' dung well incor- 
porated together. (Gard. Chron. 1845, 200.) 

The practice of Mr. Oldacre, well known as gar- 
dener to the late Sir Joseph Banks, was very eccentric. 
At first, he used good sound loam and dung, with a 
little sand, when he found it necessary ; but at the 
close of his life he grew his fruiting plants chiefly 
in powdered bones, in which he thought they throve 
better, and produced more highly-flavoured fruit. Mr. 
Loudon, however, was not able to discover any thing, 
in the appearance of either fruit or plants, to lead him 
to suppose that powdered bones are more congenial 
to the pine plant than good loam and dung ; his 
plants were certainly not equal to Mr. Baldwin's, nor 
superior to those grown by Mr. Andrews, or Mr. 
Aiton. He, therefore, considered their thriving in 
this compost a proof more of the hardy nature of the 
pine, than of any thing else ; and he had no doubt it 
would grow in powdered granite, or coal, or almost 
any powder, not even excepting gunpowder, if a due 
proportion of well rotted manure were added, and 
water, heat, light, and air, duly supplied. (Loudon 
on Pi?ie Apple, 135.) 

These opinions are coincident with our own, already 
expressed, and we will add here, having given the 
directions of those in favour of richer composts than 



80 



we employ, that it is a bad practice to form heaps of 
composts for any kind of plant culture, but particu- 
larly for the pine apple. Composts thus heaped 
together are apt to degenerate from the real healthy 
condition they were in when collected, and to become 
altogether different in quality and influence upon the 
plants. By the admixture they often become adhesive 
and compact, soured by fermentation, and the nursery 
of insects and fungi of various kinds. It is injurious, 
therefore, rather than beneficial to hoard up soils for 
a length of time, or mix composts long previously to 
their being made use of : for the chief consequences 
are to lose time and alter their most valuable proper- 
ties. Liquid manure, when applied by the old school 
of cultivators, was generally a composition of several 
articles, recommended to be used only after it had 
received so many stirrings, and had been allowed to 
stand so many weeks or months, which just amounts 
to absurdity, and loss of time and of fertilizing power ; 
besides, it never was recommended to be applied in a 
clarified state, as nature applied it, but as a thick 
mixture admirably adapted to closing the pores of 
the earth, under the old finely-broken soil system 
of potting pines, besides causing a very unsightly ap- 
pearance on the surface of the soil. 

The best liquid manure for pine plants in all stages 
of growth is made by adding one gallon of soot, one 
bushel of cow's, deer's, or sheep's dung, with a quar- 



81 



ter of a bushel of quicklime, into one hogshead of 
water ; stir it well at the time of mashing ; then once 
a day, for three or four days, strain it off into another 
cask, and drop another quarter of a bushel of quick- 
lime into it, and it will very readily clarify. Of this, 
add one gallon to every two of soft water for applying 
to fruiting and fruited pines, always in a tepid state. 
For plants not in a strong growing condition, one 
gallon to three of water is sufficient. Always apply a 
small portion, at all seasons, to all pine plants in any 
stage that requires moisture, either by syringing over 
their leaves or by application to their roots, not at all 
confining them to clear water alone. 

Growing in Moss. — As a further proof that Mr. 
Loudon and ourselves are right in thinking that the 
pine apple, with due cultivation, may be made to thrive 
in any medium unfertile to its roots, we will give the 
details furnished by M. J. Seimel, head gardener to 
Count Montgelas, at Bogenhausen, near Munich. In- 
stead of soil he uses moss for the pine apples to root in. 

Gathering the Moss, its Treatment and Mixing. — 
The moss (Hypnum spec, div.) is gathered in the 
months of September and October in the woods, and 
chopped small at home with a hatchet, or cut like 
chaff, after which it is laid up in a broad heap in the 
open air. About four English bushels of horn shav- 
ings, or more, are added to every two-horse-load of 
moss, and well mixed with it ; after that the heap is 

G 



82 



left undisturbed till the following spring. In the first 
fine days of March, the moss thus mixed is spread in 
the air, in order to get it tolerably (but not tho- 
roughly) dry ; after which it is put under cover to 
prevent its getting damp again. 

Transplanting the Pine Apples without Balls. — 
The pots are chosen in proportion to the size of the 
plants, but they are generally larger than when the 
plants are to be potted in earth. The apertures at 
the bottom are, as usual, covered with bits of earth- 
enware, after which the pots are filled in the follow- 
ing manner : — First put in the prepared moss to the 
depth of three fingers, which is well rammed down, 
and then thinly covered with manure and salt* or 
saltpetre. This is continued alternately till the pot 
is rather more than half full ; after which a cylindri- 
cal piece of wood, of from 2 to 3 inches in diameter 
(according to the stoutness of the plant), is placed 
upright on the moss in the pot, and the latter is then 
filled to the top with the same substance, with thin 
sprinklings of salt between the layers as before. The 
wood is then taken out, and the hole partially filled 
up with fine good mould. The number of pots thus 
prepared must be the same as that of the roots to be 
transplanted. (Gard. Mag. vi. 705.) 

Pine apples grown in moss are not so sensitive as 
those which are grown in earth, and bear watering 
better. In the month of March put into a cask, 



83 



holding about two hogsheads, two bushels of cow- 
dung, one peck of horn shavings, and from 20 to 24 
quarts of bullock's blood, filling the remaining space 
with water ; and leave it for three or four months to 
a voluntary fermentation, causing the liquid to be well 
stirred up about once every week. 

Use of the Liquid. — At the end of those three or 
four months the fermentation will have been completed, 
and the liquid may be applied to the pine apples to- 
wards the end of May or the beginning of June, and 
again in September and October, under the following 
regulations : When the moss in the pots has got pro- 
perly dry, water the plants copiously with this liquid 
stirred up, and afterwards each plant with clean water, 
in order to distribute the former equally among the 
pots. Only use the liquid once, employing water at 
other times. Use this liquid again in September or 
October, also for once only, and then again use pure 
water. {Ibid.) 

Manures. — These have been mentioned incident- 
ally, whilst descanting upon the soil to be employed. 
If this be duly attended to, a little liquid manure 
will be the only fertilizer required. This is formed 
by adding a peck of fresh sheep's or deer's dung 
to 30 gallons of water, and allowing it to stand until 
quite clear. This may be given to all rooted plants 
once or twice a week ; the stronger and more vigorous 
the plants the oftener may the liquid be given them 
g 2 



84 



— they require and can elaborate perfectly more 
nourishment than weakly plants. 

Mr. Glen dinning, writing on this mode of fertilizing, 
says, that in order that a stock of liquid manure may 
be always on hand, it will be necessary to have at least 
a couple of Tats, or tanks, each holding one, two, or 
three hogsheads, according to the number of plants 
cultivated ; and that the liquid may be in a fit condi- 
tion for use, it will be important to renew the one 
most exhausted every five or six weeks. Collect some 
fresh sheep or deer's dung, and fill a two hogshead 
vat about half full ; then add about a peck of unslaked 
lime, and about the same quantity of soot ; then fill 
the vat up with water ; this must be kept well stir- 
red every other day for a month, when it will be fit 
for use. When wanted, take an empty tub, and place a 
small meshed sieve over it ; well stir the composition, 
and then pass it through the sieve. The inspissated 
quality of this manure will require some modification, 
so as to enable it to escape freely through the tube of 
a small watering-pot ; water must therefore be added, 
until it is sufficiently attenuated to allow its so doing. 
When thus diluted, great care ought to be taken, in 
its application, not to let it fall on the leaves of the 
plants ; to prevent this, some simple contrivance will 
be necessary, such as a funnel soldered on the end of 
a long tin tube, into which the liquid can be poured ; 
or a tube made to screw on the spout of a small water- 



83 



ing-pot, which will enable the operator to apply it im- 
mediately to the root of each plant, and thus avoid 
the unsightly appearance which they would have, were 
the foliage carelessly sprinkled with the liquid ma- 
nure. (Glendinning on Pine Apple, 36.) 

The liquid manure we employ is already described 
in a previous page. 

Soot is recommended by Mr. Alexander, gardener 
at Carlton gardens, to be mixed regularly in the soil 
for pines. He says it is an excellent stimulant for 
giving those plants a dark green and healthy appear- 
ance. Used in the following proportions for fruiting 
plants : four wheelbarrows of friable turfy loam, cut 
three or four inches deep from a common or old pas- 
ture, at least one year old before using it, and to be 
turned and chopped two or three times during that 
period ; one barrowfull of sheep's droppings gathered 
fresh from a common, and dried upon mats in an open 
shed, or out of doors, as the weather suited, and 
pounded fine with a quarter of a barrowfull of soot. 
The whole well mixed together, but not sifted, a week 
or two before being used. For succession plants, add 
two barrowfulls of leaf-mould to the same proportions. 
(Gard. Chron. 1843, 266.) 

Soot, as a manure for pines, when used fresh, is also 
excellent for preventing worms from entering the pots : 
but the drainage must be good, otherwise it will soon 
lose its volatility. If strewed over the crocks to the 
depth of a quarter of an inch, it will answer the above 



86 



purpose ; the roots of the plants will grow freely in 
it, and their extremities will have a clear white and 
healthy appearance. 

Salt. — In some districts near the sea, as in Brazil, 
and on soils not only strongly impregnated with salt, 
but actually flooded occasionally with sea water, pine 
apples grow to an enormous size. Hence, it is reason- 
able to infer that salt is assistant to the health and 
growth of this fruit, and we hope cultivators will try 
some experiments to confirm or refute this inference. 



PITS AND STOVES. 

When pine apples are required all the year round, 
it is especially desirable that there should be two 
structures devoted to their cultivation ; because, to 
obtain them in perfection, they must have a period 
of rest, and this can only be given to them in a tem- 
perature much below that in which their fruit is 
ripened. Moreover, Mr. Glendinning is right in 
observing that the pine plant in its younger stage, if 
supplied with the same degree of heat and moisture 
requisite to mature the fruit, has its foliage drawn, 
and the whole plant so constitutionally weakened, 
that nothing but disappointment would follow, the 
fruit of such plants being invariably puny. 

In the winter months it is also desirable to keep the 
young plants comparatively at rest, and this requires a 



87 



lowness of temperature not sufficient for ripening the 
fruit. At the same time, we must observe that, it is 
quite possible to make the structure we are about to 
describe quite efficient for cultivating the pine 
throughout every stage of its growth, if just attention 
be paid to ventilation. 

Opinions amongst practical men vary respecting a 
fruiting pine structure, and we must acknowledge that, 
up to this time, we have not seen the kind of struc- 
ture which we should like to have for this most es- 
sential part of pine culture. For convenience in wa- 
tering, staking, removing plants, taking off suckers, 
and economy throughout, supposing a pit was erected 
8 feet in width, in the clear between the back and 
front wall inside, this space would hold 4 rows of 
first-rate plants ; the length, of course, must be regu- 
lated according to the number of plants to be fruited 
each season. If the entire pit be in length 100 feet, 
divided into four 25 feet compartments, each would 
hold 50 first-rate plants ; by this means, of course, each 
compartment could be regulated as required at all 
seasons with heat, air, water, &c. &c, thus ensuring 
that great point, a succession of fruit. The walls 
of the pit should be of 9 -inch work, but hollow, and 
tied together, of course, in places with a cross brick or 
bond timber. Throughout such a pit we would have 
a tank or gutter introduced for furnishing the re- 
quired bottom heat and humidity, and such tank or 



ss 



gutter we would cover over with slate or galvanised 
iron closely, and on it have placed a good portion of 
charcoal in a rough porous state ; over this, or rather 
up the centre, we would have a pipe run, with small 
perforations thickly on each side, for turning on clear 
water, or water charged with ammonia clarified, when 
requisite, for damping the whole surface of charcoal, 
tank or gutter, to charge the interior with humidity 
at any time when required. Over this we would 
erect a platform on two rows of piers, by carrying 
across galvanised iron bearers, each end of course to 
take a bearing also, on both back and front walls, 
and a cavity left between the top of the tank or gut- 
ter and the bottom of the platform. This cavity 
should not be less than from 2 feet to 2 feet 6 inches 
high ; 3 feet would be all the better ; first, because 
the air would not be liable so soon to become stag- 
nant ; secondly, because trap doors or ventilators 
could be placed to admit persons to clean out the 
chamber between the platform and surface of the tank, 
examine the whole, and replenish the charcoal and 
other requisites readily at any time ; and thirdly, it 
would be an advantage to have ventilators to admit 
with care the exterior air into the air chamber for 
circulation over the whole structure. The bottom 
or sides of the platform should be constructed with 
J or 1-inch rods of galvanised iron. We say the sides, 
because our plan would be to have a cavity left all 



89 



round the outside of the platform, to the width of 
3 inches, tc admit of a free circulation of heated air 
and humidity just when considered necessary, by 
turning up the narrow ventilators, which should be 
placed over the outside cavity, and made also with 
galvanised iron, and hung upon hinges in about three 
lengths at the front or back of each compartment. 
The depth of the platform need not be more than 16 
or 18 inches ; if the latter, it would admit of 3 inches 
of rough charred materials placed upon the bottom ; 
here the fruiting plants could either be turned out in 
a proper, or what may be considered a suitable pre- 
paration, or plunged in their pots. Possibly some 
practical men may imagine, were they to turn out 
plants into such a structure, they would like a greater 
depth of soil ; but Mr. Barnes considers such a 
depth of suitable soil and drainage is quite sufficient, 
as it would readily allow a free circulation of air, 
water, and humidity, and would not be so likely to 
become soured as a greater depth would ; and it is 
certainly a sufficient depth for placing the potted 
plants in, which should be entirely filled up between 
with charred vegetable matters in a rough rubbly 
condition. 

A four-inch flow and return hot water pipe should 
pass along the whole length at front of the pit; and the 
best known method adopted for giving air and cover- 
ing, keeping economy as well as efficiency in view. 



90 



We do not strictly confine our recommendation to 
the width mentioned, but it is a convenient width for 
the reasons named, and rendering each plant easily 
seen and come-at-able, and the lights are of a conve- 
nient length. The depth of the space between the 
summit of the platform and glass, should be about 
4 feet 6 inches, as it is best at all seasons to have the 
plants near the glass, and the ventilation could be 
given to them in hot weather at both back and front, 
or entirely at front to any extent, which would consi- 
derably alter the angle of the structure and the 
power of the sun. This is a system we always prac- 
tise for a few hours in the very hottest part of the 
day, which is far preferable to shading. Shading 
Mr. Barnes never practises, except for a few days 
slightly for fresh potted suckers, and plants fresh 
shifted for a day or two, if the weather happens to 
be fervent, for he considers it against all reason to 
practise shading to the extent some gardeners do in 
this comparatively sunless country. 

Where fermenting materials are abundant, and 
their unsightliness not objectionable, they could 
also be made use of with considerable benefit, by 
constructing the outside four-inch walls with pigeon 
holes, and leaving two or three rows of plug holes in 
the inside wall, to be opened or stopped when desired. 
The gasses from kindly worked fermenting materials, 
says Mr. Barnes, are not to be despised in pine cul- 



91 

ture, for they have no mean influence, and if well 
managed, there would be certain parts of the seasons 
when both tank and pipe heat could readily be dis- 
pensed with, or either one or the other, according to 
circumstances ; it would be a grand point to have the 
full command when requisite of the whole, and if 
well managed, would grow pine plants and swell their 
fruit to an extent beyond all previous attainment. 
Of course such application of fermented materials 
could be confined out of sight, by building an out- 
side wall or sinking a trench, if the pit or structure 
is a sunk one, (which is a practice we do not approve,) 
and it could readily be covered with shutters, which 
would form a platform to walk on to get at the pit 
more conveniently from the outside. 

All the pitch that is necessary in the roof of a pine 
pit is just what is sufficient to throw off the rain-water 
that falls upon it. It is known that the pine apple 
plant luxuriates in a moist atmosphere ; and, if that 
fact is admitted, there then can be no doubt as to a 
fiat roof being the mx)st conducive to produce that 
effect. On the contrary, if a dry atmosphere be re- 
quired, by all means have the pitch or angle of your 
glass roof as much greater as is convenient, as there 
cannot be a doubt that the greater the angle of the 
glass roof is the greater will be the heat collected from 
the rays of the sun, and consequently the more arid 
the atmosphere. {Mills on Pine Apple, 4.) 



92 



Although we are in favour of hot water in pipes 
combined with fermenting materials as the best prac- 
tical mode of heating structures devoted to the culture 
of the pine apple, yet various other modes have been 
proposed, from each of which we have selected that 
one which we consider the most preferable example. 

Heat from Dung and other Fermenting matters. — 
This is the cheapest mode of heating, and, if combined 
with the following arrangement of the glass, proposed 
by that accomplished horticulturist Mr. Paxton, forms 
by far the most economical structure for pine-culture 
that has been devised hitherto. He directs the pits 
to be constructed of nine-inch brick on bed, 78 feet 
long inside and 7 feet wide being a good size. Cover 
the pit with a ridge and furrow roof, making the 
space from the ground in front of the pit to the 
valley-rafter 3 feet 6 inches, and the back wall be- 
low the rafter 5 feet 6 inches. Divide the whole 
length into four compartments, for growing the dif- 
ferent sorts of plants, by 4|--inch brick-on-bed walls. 
Divide the whole length of the. ridge and furrow-roof 
into 12 bays, having a ventilator in the angle of each 
pediment, as at d d. Now, to get to the plants, each 
light is hinged at the valley-rafter, and fastened with 
a thumb-button at the ridge-rafter. By referring to 
the following figure it will be seen that the light or 
frame leaves the ridge-rafter at a, in the direction 
of b, and lies flat upon the next light at e. Each 



93 



light may be opened in this way, so that a workman 
may get to any part of the pit. (Gard. Chron. 1844, 
69.) 




Mr. Knight's pit was also heated by dung heat 
only, but applied by means of linings. It was con- 
structed of a hollow wall, nine inches thick, with 
sound, even-sized bricks, placed edgeways, the joints 
being carefully made, and laid with the very best 
mortar. The bricks placed with their faces and ends 
alternately to the outside, so that those which have 
their ends exposed become ties to the surfaces of the 
wall. In each succeeding course, as the wall is built, 
the bricks with their ends outwards are placed on the 
centre of the bricks which are laid lengthways in the 
course below. Thus a hollow space is formed in the 
middle of the wall, of four inches in width, which is 



94 



only interrupted where the tying bricks cross it, but 
there is a free passage for air from top to bottom of 
the wall. The front wall is four feet, and the back 
wall five feet six inches high, enclosing a space of six 
feet wide and fifteen feet long, and the walls are co- 
vered with a wall-plate, and with sliding lights, as in 
ordinary beds. The space enclosed may be filled to 
a proper depth with leaves, or tan, when it is wished 
to promote the rapid growth of plants. The wall is 
externally surrounded by a hotbed composed of leaves 
and horse-dung, by which it is kept warm ; and the 
warm air contained in its cavity is permitted to pass 
into the enclosed space through many small perfora- 
tions in the bricks. At each of the lower corners is 
a passage, which extends along the surface of the 
ground, under the fermenting material, and commu- 
nicates with the cavity of the wall, into which it ad- 
mits the external air to occupy the place of that 
which has become warm and passed into the pit. 
The entrances into these passages are furnished with 
grates, to prevent the ingress of vermin of every 
kind. The hotbed is moved and renewed in small 
successive portions, so that the temperature may be 
permanently preserved, the ground being made to 
ascend a little towards the wall on every side, that 
the bed in shrinking may rather fall towards than 
from the walls. The perforations in the interior of 
the wall are from 18 to nearly 20 inches distant from 



each other, and they do not begin till the fifth row of 
bricks from the bottom. When the pit is intended 
for early cucumbers or melons, and the lower part is 
consequently to be filled with leaves or tan, the holes 
in the bricks should only be made above the surface 
of whatever may be put into the pit, or, if previously 
made low, must be closed. 




A, sliding lights ; B B, wall plates ; C, water- 
groove ; D, Hollow wall ; E, dung linings ; F, air 
funnel. (Knighfs Papers, 262.) 

Mr. J. Macnaughten employs pits heated by tan, 
and obtains additional warmth, when required, by the 
aid of dung linings. 

The pit is 1 8|- feet long, by 6 feet in breadth ; the 
height of the back is 5 feet ; the height of the front 
3 feet 9 inches ; the declivity for the glass 1 foot 3 
inches. The pits for the dung are on the outside of 
the frames, and sunk level with the surface of the 
earth, or gravel, on the outside. The height of these 
pits is 3 feet, their breadth 2 feet. The outside of 



96 



the pits for the dung is built with 9-inch wall up to 
the surface, with one course of heuri stone on the top. 
One inch is cut out for the boards that cover the space 
allotted for the linings to rest upon : that appearance 
of litter and dung, which is so offensive in ordinary 
hotbeds, is thus prevented. The boards that cover 
the dung are 1 inch thick, by 2 feet 2 inches in breadth. 
They are of the length of the pit, and have rings at 
each end for lifting them with. The pits should be 
well drained, to carry off the under water, and a small 
grate should be made at the end of them. The kind 



Ground - 






1 I 


Bark 


I 


Dung 












-| 


f. i- 
2:3 







Xine. 



of matter which is generally employed to fill the pits, 
is a mixture of new horse and cow dung : sometimes 
tree-leaves and short grass are used, which do very well, 
provided they be duly prepared, by throwing them up 
in a high heap, to remain eight or ten days, that they 
may ferment to an equal temperature. Let the heap 
be turned over once in the time. By mixing the 
parts together they will work kindly when shaken into 
the pits. The heat will be steady and lasting, at least 
for a month. If the heat begins to decrease much, 
let a part, or the whole, of the dung in the back or 



<:,7 



front be thrown out and shaken back again, with a 
little addition of new horse dung, and it will continue 
as long again ; only, let the pits be always kept full 
up to the boards, and let only one side be shifted at 
a time, allowing fourteen days between shifting each 
side of the pits. The inside of the pit is filled up to 
within three feet of the glass, with tanner's bark, 
well dried ; for drying is a material thing to be at- 
tended to in the winter season. Care must be taken 
not to let any of the bark fall into the flue, or vacant 
space that is left for the heat to come up. (Caled. 
Hort. Mem. hi. 336.) 

Fire heat direct. — Mr. Stewart, gardener to Sir It. 
Preston, at Valleyfield, near Culross, Perthshire, 
erected a pit in which he built two flues (a } a,) and 



supported over them, on brick props (c), a flooring of 
pavement, covered with layers of gravel and sand (d), 
on which he placed the pots ; at the sides were open- 
ings (6, b,) to admit the heated air from below to 

H 




98 



warm the atmosphere of the plants ; the upper level 
of the platform on which the plants stand is nearly 
on a level with the external surface (e, e,). The pots 
of plants are set on the sand, so that when moisture 
is added either to it or to the plants, it causes a fine 
gentle steam to arise through the whole of the pit, 
which can be regulated at pleasure, by adding more 
or less fire, according to the season or other circum- 
stances. The temperature kept during the spring 
and summer season is from eighty to a hundred 
degrees through the day, and as low as from sixty- 
five to sixty degrees during the night ; in the autumn 
and winter it is as low as fifty-five or fifty degrees. 
(Hort. Soc. Trans, v.) 

Fire heat and Fermenting materials. — A pine pit 
erected in the garden of W. Forman, Esq., is heated 
by a flue in a chamber below the tan. The tan (a.) 




is supported by oak joints resting on the side walls, 
and on a middle wall of open brickwork (b). The 



99 



joists are three inches deep, an inch and a half thick, 
and three inches apart ; instead of being covered with 
boards or tiles, a course of turf is laid over them, 
which is found to answer perfectly. The heated air 
is conveyed from the chamber below into the atmos- 
phere of the plants, by means of small apertures 
(c,) formed in the back and front walls at four inches 
and a half apart, and also through tubes of iron, or 
chimney-pots (d), resting on the joists directly over 
the flue. Through the same pipes or pots water may 
be poured on the covers of the flues, which are formed 
hollow (e), so as to generate steam at pleasure. Ven- 
tilation is effected by air-holes (/,) communicating with 
the pit, and by sliding shutters in the back wall (g). 
(Hort. Soc. Trans, vii. 88.) 

Hot water in Pipes. — The following plan is sug- 
gested by Mr. W. Henderson, of Walton Nursery, 
near Liverpool. 




100 




a, bed to plunge or plant out in ; b b 3 hot air cham- 
ber ; c c 3 gutter with pipes supplying heat to the 
atmosphere ; d d 3 area where vines are planted and 
laid down during the season of rest; e 3 a closely 
fitted shutter is fixed here while the vines are laid 
down ; / and g show an offset in brickwork which 
carry the back footpath ; h h h, register gratings to 
regulate air to chamber (5) ; h 3 ventilators in front 
wall, regulated to admit or shut out air from the 
area (d) ; b 3 descending air cavity ; m 3 ascending 
air cavity ; n 3 floor of potting shed ; o 3 cellar or root 
store ; p, passage to ditto, which is an open area 
except where an arch crosses, forming entrance to 
potting shed (n) ; r, tank for water from the roof; 
s, boiler ; t 3 stoke hole ; v, a vinery ; w 3 a plant 
house ; x, sl surface of vine borders. The pipes 
being laid in the gutters (c) will readily suggest the 
facility with which the atmosphere may be charged 
with moisture ; or, on the contrary, when a dry heat 
is desired, the water has only to be withdrawn from 



101 



one or either of the gutters just as may be deemed 
proper. The bottom heat to the plunging or plant- 
ing out bed (a) is communicated through the brick 
arch from chamber (&). Brickwork is found to be 
by far the best medium, the porous material being a 
good conductor, as well as a guarantee that no acci- 
dent can happen from over-heating the roots, while 
no difficulty will be found in raising the temperature 
of the tan or soil in the bed to 75 or even 80 degs. 
The pipes laid in gutter (c) are for supplying the 
necessary heat to the atmosphere of the house, and of 
course can be worked from the sa'me boiler with, or 
independent of, the pipes in the chamber (b). You 
will at once comprehend that a rotary motion is given 
to the air in the house, a syphon action being formed 
by admitting the heavier, viz. the cooled, air at the 
register gratings (h h A), through the aperture (b)> 
which, displacing the heated air in the chamber, 
escapes through the higher cavity (m) ; thus a con- 
stant circulation is kept up. {Gardener s Jonrn. 
1845, 185.) 

Another pine stove, heated by hot water in pipes, is 
at Bamford Hall, Bochdale, and is thus described by 
Mr. Cherry, its superintending gardener : — It is un- 
equally span-roofed, the front rafters being 1 1 feet 
long and the back ones 6 feet. Its length is 25 feet, 
and its breadth 15 feet, having a walk 3 feet wide 
round the interior. It is fitted up with a shelf at 



102 



the back, 3 feet from the glass, and with another in 
front, 5 feet from the glass. The front of the house 
is 6 feet high abo\e the walk, and the upper portion 
is glazed to the depth of 4 feet. At both ends of 
the house there is a flight of 6 steps from the front 
walk to the back one, which is on a level with the 
front of the pit. The latter stands in the centre of 
the house, its slope corresponding with that of the 
roof ; but instead of being heated by bark in the ordi- 
nary manner, the roots of the plants are warmed by 
means of hot water pipes passing beneath them. 
For this purpose the pit is surmounted by a boarded 
stage, containing 4 shelves, with openings in them to 
receive the pine pots up to the rims. Each shelf is 
2 feet in width, and capable of containing 2 plants. 
The hot water pipes in the pit and those which warm 
the house are on the same level, and communicate 
with each other, so that only one fire is required. 
These pipes are all dished, for the purpose of holding 
water to create steam. The dishes in the pit are 
filled by means of one-inch leaden pipes, one end of 
which comes through the stage ; and these are filled 
twice a day with hot water. There are also six small 
one-inch iron pipes, about eighteen inches long, which 
stand upright, and are screwed into the main pipes 
beneath the stage ; the tops of these you can open 
or close, according as more or less moisture is re- 
quired. The succession house is 25 feet long, 18 



103 



feet wide, and 12 feet high. One half of the stage 
is appropriated to suckers, the other half to year-old 
plants. It is capable of containing 30 year-old 
plants and 36 suckers. The suckers strike root more 
quickly on this plan than in hark. (Gard. Chron. 
1843, 139). 

At Thornfield, the stove in which Mr. Hamilton 
grows pines is also heated by means of hot water pipes. 
The wall is nine inches thick all round ; the height 
of the back wall seven feet six inches, (from the trellis 
which lies close above the pipes,) to the glass. The 
wall at the ends and front is 18 inches above the 
pipes, at the top of the back wall. Under every light 
is a wooden shutter, nearly the width of the lights, 
and 10 inches deep, to admit air. These are opened 
from the outside. The length of the house inside is 
28 feet, by 11 feet wide. The alley, which goes all 
round the house, and in which the pipes are placed, 
is 21 inches wide. The tan bed, which is surrounded 
by a nine inch wall, is 23 feet long by seven feet 
three inches wide ; 3 feet deep at the back, and 20 
inches at the front. Both ends of the house are glass. 
There are also twenty inch lights at the front, which 
are made to open, for the convenience of the operators. 
The whole roof is covered with nine entire and fixed 
lights, (no north lights,) and the laps of the glass are 
filled with putty. The pitch is four feet. The boiler 
is a half cylinder, and is fixed in the back shed, about 



104 



20 feet from where it enters the house. Although 
pipes are used, yet Mr, Hamilton recommends in pre- 
ference the tank system. {Hamilton on Pine Apple, 
98.) 

Hot water in Gutters, — In a pit erected at Hewell, 
the seat of the Hon. R. H. Clive, of which pit the 
following is a plan, the bottom heat is supplied by 




hot water in gutters, and the air-heat by a common 
flue. Its length is 40 feet 6 inches ; its width inside, 
12 feet 9 inches ; its height in front, above the 
ground, 1 foot 6 inches, and at the back 5 feet 5 inches. 
A is an air pipe, whose orifice is at the ground level, 



105 



and which passes underground into a hot chamber, 
covered with wood, on which the pine bed lies. B is 
a smooth flue, passing along the front from the fire- 
place at one end of the pit, and discharging itself at 
the other end into an upright chimney. The shaded 
line right and left of the section shows the ground 
line ; so that a large part of this pit is sunk into the 
ground. The other parts of the plan, which is drawn 
to a scale, speak for themselves. (Gard. Chron. 
1843, 772.) 

Hot Water in Tanks. — The boiler and apparatus 
for this are thus described in our former volume on 
the " Grape Vine :"— 

" Hot water in a tank is superior to the same source 
of heat in pipes, because it is not liable to freeze ; and 
it is preferable to steam, because its heating power 
continues until the whole mass of water is cooled 
down to the temperature of the house, whereas steam 
ceases to be generated as a source of heat the moment 
the temperature falls below 212 degs. 

" Mr. Rendle, nurseryman, Plymouth, the first 
successful suggester of the tank system of heating, 
has furnished us with the following particulars : — A 
tank of iron or wood, twenty feet long, five feet broad 
and six inches deep, is constructed in the centre 
of the house, and surrounded by a walk, except at 
the end, where the boiler is fixed for heating it. The 



106 



top of the tank is covered with large slabs of slate, 
cemented together, to prevent the excessive escape of 
steam. Around this is a frame sufficiently high to 
retain the hark, in which the pots are plunged. The 
boiler and tank are filled with water, and this circu- 
lates, when the fire is lighted under the former, by 
means of two pipes, one from the top of the boiler, 
and the other returning nearer to its bottom. The 
expense of piping, and danger of its freezing, is 
avoided ; the fire only requires to be kept lighted for 
two hours at night, and again for the same period in 
the morning ; the water, when once heated, retaining 
its temperature for a long time. In a small house the 
apparatus can be constructed for £5 ; and in all, for 
less than half the cost of hot water pipes. The 
saving in tan and labour is also very great ; in some 
places tan costs 19s. per cart load, and where it is 
cheaper, the trouble and litter incident to its employ- 
ment, and the dangers of loss from fungi and insects, 
of which it is the peculiarly fertile foster-parent, ren- 
der it objectionable as a source of heat. And when- 
ever the tan has to be renewed, the trouble and de- 
struction of plants is always great. 

" In the following sketch, for which we are in- 
debted to Mr. Eendle — A is a transverse section of 
Roger's conical boiler; B is the fireplace; g, the 
tank ; c, the flow-pipe ; d, the pipe by which the 
water returns to the boiler ; e, is the hole for the 



107 



smoke, which, joined to a flue, /, can be made to 
ascend the chimney at once, or to pass round the 
house." 




The following is the section of a pine pit to which 
the above apparatus is adapted. 




It is described as a very useful and most desirable 
structure for the growth of the pine apple, with a 
hollow wall, recommended by all garden architects in 
preference to a solid wall—the heat or cold being not 
so readily conducted as through a solid mass of ma- 
sonry. Mr. Rendle might have added, that hollow 



103 

walls are also much drier. (Rendles Treatise on the 
Tank System). 

Hot water in Tank and Pipes combined. — This has 
been done by Mr. G. Fleming, the excellent gardener 
at Trentham Hall. He says, in a pine pit recently 
erected a Trentham, the tank system of bottom heat- 
ing and that of hot water pipes for top heat are com- 
bined ; and for keeping a sufficient and steady heat, 
with a small consumption of fuel, nothing can be 
more satisfactory. The pit is seventy-seven feet 
long, and twelve feet wide inside, and is heated by 
what is called a saddle boiler. Under the bed are 
four tanks, into which the water is delivered from 
the boiler by a four-inch pipe, and after pursuing its 
course, is again received by another pipe. The ad- 
vantage of two deliveries is, that the water not 
having so far to go does not get so cold before it is 
returned to the boiler, and the heat is more regular 
in all parts of the house. The depth of water in 
the tanks is about three inches. The tanks are made 
of brickwork, coated with Roman cement. They 
are arched over with brickwork also, which is 
cheaper than covering them with slates ; and by 
leaving interstices between the bricks, of which the 
arch is composed, the steam is allowed to escape, and 
penetrating the stratum of rubble above to keep the 
tan in a proper state of moisture. The same boiler 



109 



also supplies a range of four-inch pipe, which goes 
round the pit. There are cavities in the wall to per- 
mit the steam from below to pass to the top of the 
pit. The aperture to those can be closed at pleasure, 
thus insuring a perfect command over the moisture of 
the atmosphere. There is a chamber which formerly 
contained a flue belonging to the house that occupied 
the place of the one we are now describing. This 
chamber has been left with the view of its being 
useful for filling with hot dung, either for the purpose 
of assisting to maintain the heat of the house^ or 
for destroying insects. The tanks and pipes cannot 
both be worked at the same time, but they are fitted 
with stop-cocks, so that either can be worked at 
pleasure ; and a few hours in the middle of the day, 
when the pipes are not wanted, is found amply suffi- 
cient to keep up the bottom heat, as the mass of 
material, when once heated, retains its heat for a con- 
siderable time. (Gard. Chron.) 

Stove for Pines, Vines, and Cucumbers, conjointly, 
— For the following directions in constructing this 
stove for joint-tenants we are indebted to Mr. Hamil- 
ton's little work on the Pine Apple : — 

Build in a sheltered situation, but not to be shaded 
with trees, &c. ; it should also stand to front the 
south, so as to have the advantage of the sun from 
morning until night. Where about fifty pine plants 



110 



are intended to be grown, the length of the house 
ought to be about 28 feet, by 12 feet 6 inches wide 
inside, surrounded by a nine-inch wall ; where the 
foundation is good, five feet will be high enough for 
the wall at the front and ends, which ought to be one 
foot above the ground level. The height of the back 
wall, nine feet ; three apertures to be left about three 
feet from the top of the wall ; they ought to be one 
foot high, and three feet wide, so that two vines may 
be turned out through each hole, in the winter, after 
their wood is ripe. They may be fastened along the 
wall, and if kept dry, will need no other protection ; 
they may either all be in and started at once, or at 
different periods (and the apertures built up again), 
according to the owner's demand. The back retain- 
ing wall of the tan bed must be built on piers, leav- 
ing arches for the vine roots to pass through into the 
prepared compost underneath the pines. The piers 
will have to be nine inches thick ; above which, a 
cavity must be left from the heated chamber to the 
top of the wall. The alley at the back ought to be 
at least three feet wide ; end alley, 21 inches ; front 
alley, 20 inches. The boiler must be fixed at either 
of the north corners of the house ; it will require two 
flow and two return pipes attached to it ; two pipes 
must be stretched along both ends and front, to heat 
the atmosphere in the house, and ought to be six or 
seven inches diameter. Each pipe must have a stop- 



Ill 



cock near to the boiler, so that the tank or hot water 
flue may be heated without affecting the air in the 
house. The other two pipes from the boiler to be 
connected with the tank or flue, underneath the tan 
bed ; they may be of smaller size, and a wooden plug 
must be formed, partially to exclude the hot water 
when the heat is too violent ; and whether a tank or 
flue is to supply the bottom-heat, they must be 
chambered over ; and if circulated in a flue, it may be 
eight or nine inches wide, and four inches high, and 
must pass all round the bed one-and-a-half feet from 
the wall, and may be lined with either lead or zinc, or 
plastered with Roman cement ; it may be covered 
with flags. But previous to building the flue, the 
bottom of the bed ought to be filled two feet with 
compost for the vine roots ; and flags or bricks laid 
all round, on which the flue must be built. A flue 
thus constructed will give plenty of bottom heat for 
the pines, and will keep the soil and other materials 
moist, under which the vine roots may be expected to 
grow rapidly ; and in very cold weather the cavity in 
the wall may be opened, which communicates with 
the heated chamber, in order to maintain a sufficient 
heat for the atmosphere ; and upon the chamber in 
the pit, must be placed 20 inches of the materials to 
plunge in the plants. The roof sloping to the north 
and south, as well as the upright ends, will have 
to be glazed, and all the laps filled with putty, 



112 



The north lights, which are about five feet long, will 
extend over the back alley, under which the vines are 
to be trained ; the lights must be tilted up above the 
back wall when air is to be admitted. The materials 
in which the pines are to be plunged, may be sand, 
ashes, leaves, or tan ; but the latter two ought to be 
preferred ; and the plants may be occasionally turned 
out of their pots and planted therein. {Hamilton 
on Fine Apple, 100.) 

Steam has been employed as a source of heating, 
but is now nearly abandoned, as being more costly 
and less effectual than hot water. The most wasteful 
way in which it was employed was by turning it into 
a bricked chamber beneath the bed ; but, whether in 
a chamber or in pipes, it required much more atten- 
tion than hot water needs, and with the disadvantage 
that at night it cools too rapidly to exclude an in- 
juriously low temperature. 



CULTURE. 

To succeed in producing a first-rate fruit, all atten- 
dant circumstances must be accordant with each 
other. It is not the procuring the soil from the same 
locality that a successful cultivator does, that will 
ensure success ; nor the harvesting of it, and taking 



113 



care of it, after it has been well harvested; nor tie 
right mode, or season, in making use of it ; though all 
and each is a matter of some importance. It is not 
such a sized pot made use of for fruiting pines, with 
so much charcoal added to the soil ; nor so many 
quarts of liquid manure applied so many times a 
week ; nor a certain stated degree of either atmos- 
pheric or bottom heat ; nor a certain time of applying, 
or degree of, heat, previously to giving air, or shutting 
up, that will ensure success ; neither will any peculiarly 
constructed house, or pit ; nor any especial heating 
apparatus ; but all and each must be accordant with 
each other to insure success. 

Pine culture is perfect when its fruit, excellent in 
quality, is producible in the dessert throughout the 
year. This is now accomplished in many gardens, 
thanks to the advanced skill and science of our gar- 
deners, who have now exploded many detremental 
prejudices in the culture of this fruit — extremely high 
temperature and disrooting among them — which were 
fatal bars to first-rate quality, and continued suc- 
cession. The employment of lower temperatures has 
gained to the pine apple that great requisite for 
excellence of flavour — slow but unchecked growth ; 
for our experience is quite coincident with that of Mr. 
Knight, who says that he found all fruits (and par- 
ticularly the melon) to acquire their highest state of 
excellence when their growth has been slow, provided 



114 



it has been regularly progressive, and that the fruit 
has ultimately attained its proper size and perfect 
maturity. He thought, and thought truly, that no 
fruit has ever been so perfect, either in taste or 
flavour, the growth and maturity of which had been 
greatly accelerated by much fire-heat, and, of necessity, 
abundant water. He, therefore, inclined to believe, 
that the pine apple will be found to acquire its highest 
state of excellence, when a considerable time elapses 
between the period of its blossom and that of its 
maturity. (Knightfs Papers, 260.) 

In the summer time, Mr. Hamilton says, he can 
ripen fruit in from twelve to fourteen weeks from the 
time they show, so that both sucker and fruit is per- 
fected at that season in seven months. 

This is the greatest rapidity of growth consistent 
with excellence of quality, and pine apples allowed 
a month longer to attain ripeness, unchecked, and 
having the same exposure to light, would attain, 
probably, a higher flavour. 

From twelve to eighteen months elapse between 
the time of planting a sucker and ripening its fruit . 
but when a succession of fruit is obtained from the 
same stool, three fruits may be obtained from it in 
two years. 

Bottom Heat. — There is no truth more important 
to be kept in mind by the gardener, in his stove de- 
partment, than that the temperature of the soil in 



115 



which the plants are growing should be accordant 
with that to which their leaves are exposed. When 
we say accordant, we do not mean that the tempera- 
tures should be equal, but that the heat of the soil 
should stimulate the roots to imbibe nutriment just 
so fast as the temperature and light of the air enables 
the leaves to elaborate it. It is not difficult to find a 
rule for the gardener's guide on this point, for after 
numerous trials, both in this country and between the 
tropics, we find a close approximation to the truth to 
be, that the temperature of the soil ought to be just 
above the average of the temperatures to which the 
leaves of the plants growing upon it are subjected. 
Thus, if the pine apple grows in air, of which the ex- 
treme temperatures are 70 and 90 degs., the tempera- 
ture of the soil in which they are rooted should be 8 1 
or 82 degs. If the soil be heated solely by exposure 
to the air of the stove, this accordance of temperature 
is secured without trouble, but if there be a tank of 
hot water, or a mass of fermenting matter beneath the 
soil, great care is required, and great difficulties arise 
in the way of regulating the soil's temperature. 

You may have the best of soil and water, but with- 
out bottom heat is very particularly and punctually 
attended to, great disappointments will ensue ; there 
is more injury done by bottom heat than by all the 
other causes put together ; and, in our opinion, this 
was, in the first instance, the means of giving them 
i 2 



116 



the character of being annual-rooted plants. Of one 
thing we are certain, that by misapplication, bottom 
heat has often been the means of depriving them of 
their roots, not only annually, but almost every time 
their fermenting bed got renewed ; which sudden 
checks are the principal cause of their producing 
such abundance of weak suckers, and such diminutive 
fruit. To prevent those unnatural checks and disap- 
pointments, Mr. Barnes plunges the pots they are 
growing in not more than two-thirds of their depth, 
with an inverted pot for each plant to stand on (any 
ill-shaped old pots, or such as have a piece broken 
out of the side, or are cracked, &c, are always put 
by for this purpose), the fermenting material being 
always kept tolerably loose about them. Should the 
bottom appear likely to heat strongly, merely give the 
pots a move back and front with a strong stake, which 
causes them to stand clear, with a cavity in the bark 
all round them, to allow the heat and air to circulate 
freely ; and when settled loosen the whole bed up be- 
tween the pots with a small hand fork, and strong 
pointed stake for the same purpose. (Gard. Mag.) 

Mr. Knight having so frequently witnessed the 
difficulties and the folly attendant upon enormous and 
unnatural bottom heat, was led to repudiate it alto- 
gether — that is to say, to deny the necessity of using 
a fermenting or other heating body beneath as a me- 
dium. Now, be it remembered that Mr. Knight gave 



117 



little air and kept very high temperatures, especially 
when much solar light existed. By these means he 
obtained just what exists in nature — an advantage of 
a few degrees in the average of the bottom-heat over 
that of the atmosphere. Therefore, it appears Mr. 
Knight did not deny the propriety of bottom-heat, 
but merely the capricious means by which it is gene- 
rally obtained. Mr. Hamilton, after long practice, 
during which he has met with extraordinary success, 
also approves of what is termed a very moderate 
amount of bottom-heat ; about 80 degs. in the sum- 
mer, and not much more than 70 degs. in the winter. 
Now, when we consider that an advantage of from 2 
to 5 degs. exists in nature, in favour of the average 
temperature of the soil, as compared with the atmos- 
phere ; and that the average atmospheric temperature 
for pines in a growing state, under glass in Bicton, is 
something like 70 to 75 degs., or even 80 degs., we 
must come to the conclusion that Mr. Hamilton's 
practice is perfectly natural. (Gard. Chron. 1846, 
726.) 

We may as well detail here Mr. Knight's course 
of culture, without bottom heat, as practised at 
Downton : — 

The suckers were put into pots of somewhat more 
than a foot in diameter, in a compost made of thin 
green turf, recently taken from a river side, chopped 
very small, and pressed closely, whilst wet, into the 



118 



pots ; a circular piece of the same material, of about 
au inch in thickness, having been inverted, unbroken, 
to occupy the bottom of each pot.* This substance, 
so applied, affords efficient means for draining off 
superfluous water, and subsequently of facilitating the 
removal of a plant from one pot to another, without 
loss of roots. The surface of the reduced turf was 
covered with a layer of vegetable mould obtained 
from decayed leaves, and of sandy loam, to prevent 
the growth of the grass roots. The pots were then 
placed to stand upon brick piers, near the glass ; and 
the piers being formed of loose bricks, without 
mortar, were capable of being reduced as the height 
of the plants increased. f The temperature of the 

* From Mr. Knight's recommendation of chopping the soil 
small, and pressing it together while wet, we entirely disagree. 
We find no plant thrive and root so readily, receiving the least 
possible check afterwards, as the pine apple does when potted 
or planted whilst the soil is in a moderately dry, friable condi- 
tion. After which, it is beneficial to apply the requisite quan- 
tum of water, either to the soil or over the foliage, according 
to circumstances of season, &c. Besides, it would be necessary, 
if green grass were made use of, to employ some other compo- 
sition to prevent the grass from growing. From this we also 
quite disagree, and should never think of putting it into 
practice. 

f It did not seem to strike this great man how bottom heat 
could be genially modified, within the same structure, with little 
trouble, and economising the expense and labour at the same 



119 



house was generally raised in hot and bright days, 
chiefly by confined solar heat, from 95 to 105 degs., 
and sometimes to 110 degs., no air being ever given 
till the temperature of the house exceeded 95 degs. ; 
and the escape of heated air was then, only in a slight 
degree, permitted. In the night the temperature of 
the house generally sank to 70 degs., or somewhat 
lower. At this period, and through the months of 
July and August, a sufficient quantity of pigeon's 
dung was steeped in the water, which was given to 
the pine-plants, to raise its colour nearly to that of 

time ; but depend on it, it will be found still a great advantage, 
in pot culture, to have the plants standing partly plunged on 
the platform in open porous sweet materials ; and nothing 
would be so valuable for this purpose as charred refuse, which, 
by a proper application of moisture, would always give off, in 
the healthiest form, humidity, charged with ammonia ; and the 
tank, gutter, or hot-pipe system of applying bottom heat could 
be managed similarly, with the same materials as previously re- 
commended, and a perforated pipe for furnishing the requisite 
kindly humidity and warmth about their roots. We cannot 
see how Mr. Knight could obtain the circumstances afforded by 
nature, when his plants were placed on brick piers, and he ad- 
mitted to them but little air, in an artificial structure, without 
any material applied to absorb the natural heat, and give it off 
charged with humidity, &c. This, however, would be accom- 
plished by furnishing between the piers, or, which would be 
better, amongst the pots, a body of charred materials. It is 
astonishing how quickly, and to what extent, charcoal does ab- 
sorb heat, retaining and giving it off in a genial manner. 



120 



porter, and with this they were usually supplied twice 
a day in very hot weather ; the mould in the pots 
being kept constantly very damp, or what gardeners 
would generally call wet. In the evenings, after very 
hot days, the plants were often sprinkled with clear 
water, of the temperature of the external air; hut 
this was never repeated till all the remains of the last 
sprinkling had disappeared from the axils of the 
leaves. 

Mr. Knight deprecated giving pine plants larger 
pots in autumn ; for the plants at this period, and 
subsequently, owing to want of light, can generate a 
small quantity only of new sap, and consequently the 
matter which composes the new roots, that the plant 
will be excited to emit into the fresh mould, must be 
drawn chiefly from the same reservoir, which is to 
supply the blossom and fruit ; and he found that trans- 
planting fruit-trees, in autumn, into larger pots, ren- 
dered their next year's produce of fruit smaller in 
size, and later in maturity. As the length of the 
days diminished, and the plants received less light, 
their ability to digest food diminished. Less food 
was in consequence dissolved in the water, which was 
also given with a more sparing hand ; and as winter 
approached, water only was given, and in small quan- 
tities. During the months of November and Decem- 
ber, the temperature of the house was generally little 
above 50 degs., and sometimes as low as 48 degs. 



121 



Most gardeners would have been alarmed for the 
safety of their plants at this temperature ; but the 
pine is a much hardier plant than it is usually sup- 
posed to be ; and one young plant exposed in Decem- 
ber to a temperature of 32 degs. did not appear to 
sustain any injury ; and in the east the pine-apple is 
growing in the open air, where the surface of the 
ground, early in the mornings, shews unequivocal 
marks of a slight degree of frost. The plants re- 
mained nearly torpid, and without growth, during the 
latter part of November, and in the whole of Decem- 
ber; but they began to grow early in January, al- 
though the temperature of the house rarely reached 
60 degs. ; and about the 20th of that month, the 
blossom, or rather the future fruit, of the earliest 
plant became visible ; and subsequently to that period 
their growth was rapid.* This rapidity of growth, in 
rather low temperature, may be traced to the more 

* As to giving pine plants larger pots in autumn, we then, 
and at all times, shift and repot when the plants are considered 
to require it ; and indeed are very particular in giving all that re- 
quire potting a good shift in autumn, to provide against the 
contingency of the weather proving unfavourable in winter ; 
though we would as readily shift a pine at Christmas as at any 
other season. How is a quick growth to be made, and a suc- 
cession of fruiting plants to be kept up, if the succession plants 
are allowed to stand stationary in winter months ? Indeed, the 
Kinghtian system of pine growing will not do in these railway 
times. It would be quite impossible to maintain a succession 



122 



excitable state of their root, owing to their having 
passed the winter in a very low temperature compara- 
tively with that of a bark-bed. The plants in winter 
were supplied with water in moderate quantities, and 
holding in solution a less quantity of food than was 
given them in summer. (Knighfs Papers, 243.) 

As the application of bottom heat is acknowledged 
to be one of the most important points in successful 
pine culture, we shall not be thought needlessly 
prolix in offering some more general remarks upon 
the subject, before proceeding to observe upon the 
management of some of the sources from whence it 
is usually derived. 

As it is needful to keep up, or furnish, different 
degrees of heat and evaporation for fruit-swelling 
plants, and those in blossom, -and those in earlier 
stages of growth, to continue a succession of good 
fruit throughout the season, just so is it needful to 
have a structure on a good principle, in compart- 
ments, with full command of means for applying an 
appropriately-heated humid atmosphere, or a dry 
atmosphere, as these stages of growth may require. 
These changes would be easily commanded by em- 
ploying some one or other of the structures described 
in the last section. Thus, a tank, or gutter-heating 

of good fruit throughout the season, if, during any part of it, 
they were allowed to be stationary, or nearly so. 



123 



apparatus, well constructed, the application of per- 
forated pipes, or a shallow gutter added to the under 
pipe running in front of the structure, would furnish 
a command of humidity whenever requisite. 

In our variable and dark climate it is found neces- 
sary to have at command a greater degree of bottom 
heat than top heat, particularly in the shortest days of 
winter ; the same holds good for top heat in light arid 
weather ; a full command of this essential should be 
at hand, and easy of command in both compartments, 
to assist nature whenever requisite. The system of 
obtaining bottom heat from fermenting materials, we 
entirely condemn for pine culture ; the tank, or gutter 
system of bottom heating is equally objectionable, for 
placing the plunging materials on the top of the tank 
is obviously wrong in principle, and must also be a 
great waste of heat by absorption and confinement ; 
besides its subjection to as sudden fluctuation as the 
old principle, particularly where the tank or gutter 
system is depended on, in a great measure, at all sea- 
sons, for heating the internal atmosphere as well. 
Every practical man must be well aware how subject 
the atmosphere, soil, plunging materials, and the 
whole interior of the structure, must be, under certain 
circumstances, to sourness, dryness, sudden stagna- 
tion, &c, upon such a principle in our variable 
climate. We are advocates for the heated air system 
of applying both bottom and top heat, when fully 



124 



carried out upon correct principles, combined with 
economy. 

At Bicton there is a pit for growing succession 
plants, in compartments of six lights ; and generally 
some late pines in the season are fruited in one com- 
partment. These are often started, bloomed, set 
evenly every pip, and have surpassed the swelling of 
those in the house or stove, which has been kept at 
night from 68 to 72 degs., with the assistance of hot- 
water pipes, capable of commanding any required 
heat, while those in the above pit have nothiug more 
than a lining of well-wrought leaves, a little stable 
dung amongst them, and covered at top with dried 
short grass, placed against the wall to the top. But 
do not mistake the principle upon which this lining is 
applied to heat both bottom and top, because long 
practice in those matters has pretty clearly pointed 
out to us the simple principle is a good one, for fur- 
nishing a humid kindly bottom heat of warm air, also 
a kindly-heated humid atmosphere about the interior 
of the structure, to circulate among the plants. This 
pit was constructed by Mr. Barnes's predecessor, for 
containing the large body of three or four feet in 
depth of hot tan, for furnishing the then requisite 
bottom heat ; and because there should be no mistake 
in the application of it, the pit, or rather walls of the 
pit, were constructed with pigeon-holes all round, to 
the height of three feet six inches, or thereabouts ; 



125 



the pit and trench for the linings being sunk to the 
above depths, and shutters to cover the lining trench. 
Of course, this was intended for no other purpose 
than applying a still stronger bottom heat ; this, to 
Mr. Barnes, appeared a reversal of the natural 
system. For the sun rays not only heat the atmos- 
phere from above, but also the soil the plants grow 
in, in their native country. To alter the reversing 
custom, Mr. Barnes cleared out this large body of 
fermenting materials inside of the pit, filled it with 
wood and faggots to the height of the pigeon-holes, 
packed firmly together ; on this he placed some old 
thatch and rubbishy straw, to prevent the little 
plunging material from running amongst the wood, 
which plunging material is about a foot of well- 
wrought sweet tan, which is forked up amongst each 
row of pots to about two-thirds their height, as 
lightly or loosely as possible ; the arranging of each 
row of plants is carried on, the largest-sized pots are 
put on three bricks, placed triangular ; and the others 
on two, each a distance apart, thus securing a healthy 
unobstructed circulation of heat, air, and water ; for 
the tan is often hoed, or stirred over lightly with a 
long slender iron crook, fixed to a handle, which 
lightens and moves it nearly to the depth of the pots ; 
the roots are always in the most vigorous, healthy 
condition ; those, the fruiting plants, at this time 
(May) are all over the tan, from the side and bottom 



126 



holes of the pots, and appear like a white net even 
amongst the wood. The linings are built up to the 
very summit of the pit all the winter, but not turned 
lower than the solid wall to the first row of pigeon 
holes : this answers the purpose of sun, or atmos- 
pheric heat from fire, by drying up the internal 
humidity throughout the dark short days, as the heat 
is principally thrown in above the plants and ferment- 
ing materials, which acts the part of both sun and 
fire heat in the most complete manner. As we gain 
light and solar heat, the linings are turned to the bot- 
tom, which is generally filled, all the winter, and trod 
in firmly, with dry leaves from the bottom to above 
the top row of pigeon holes. For the purpose of 
commanding a kindly humidity and heat throughout 
the interior, both at bottom- and top, a cavity is left 
at the side of the pit, and strait straw or brushwood 
placed against the top row of pigeon-holes to keep the 
cavity from being choked up, which can be moved or 
removed with little trouble, to admit of a free circula- 
tion all over the interior of the pit of heated humid 
air : it answers the purpose admirably. By some 
cultivators it has been recommended to cure an excess 
of bottom heat, by pouring about the fermenting ma- 
terials abundance of water ; — this certainly is a fair 
way of establishing one excess for the other. If it was 
performed in due time to save burning the roots by 
its application, the question is, whether oftentimes 



127 



they did not suffer as much by the swampiness and 
sourness of the plunging material — besides, what 
system of regulation could be commanded under such 
circumstances, besides the extra loss of labour and 
sacrifice of property ? No wonder at pine apples 
being considered annual-rooted plants under such an 
entirety of unnatural application of bottom heat — 
no wonder at Mr. Glendinning stating, that in the 
winter months the young plants must be kept 
stationary, or nearly so — no wonder, indeed, if they 
were to stand stationary, under such circumstances, 
when it was recommended to apply in autumn an ex- 
tra supply of hot tan to carry them through the win- 
ter months, and deprive them at a certain time in 
spring of their roots ; needful operations enough, no 
one could deny, under such unnatural treatment and 
circumstances. Thousands of pine plants in those 
days were forced and driven along with their long, 
narrow, thin leaves, with no other live roots to them 
during their whole existence, than the few they con- 
tinued to form, as a matter of necessity, in the axils 
of the leaves ; and if they then had been subject to 
the liberal airings and free ventilation we keep in 
practice, they would have been blown out of their 
pots. No wonder that shading should be recom- 
mended and adopted to such an extent in those days by 
the great pine cultivators — no wonder, indeed ! But 
on this we shall observe more fully in our next volume. 



128 



Our system is always to keep the surface of the 
soil and plunging materials pretty moist, by frequent 
sy ringings in fervid weather ; and by keeping a quan- 
tity of rough lumps of charcoal spread about the sur- 
face, a genial vapour is at all times in circulation, 
particularly in sunny days, when it is most requisite. 

We will now furnish some directions for the 
management of some of the sources from whence 
bottom heat is usually obtained. 

Tanner s Bark, if employed as a source of heat for 
the pine apple, requires very constant attention to 
preserve it from injurious vicissitudes of temperature. 
Fresh bark should always be had for this purpose, not 
more than a week or ten days, or at the most three 
weeks, out of the tan-pit. 

Tan, when it has undergone a good and regular 
fermentation, for a period of about four weeks, if 
kept from excessive moisture, has a sort of charm for 
the growth of all plants that are natives of warm cli- 
mates. When it is to be used as bottom heat, it will 
be advisable to keep it in a dry shed while in a state 
of fermentation ; and it being full of moisture when 
taken out of the tan vats, it will require no additional 
moisture while in a state of preparation for the 
growth of pine apples, or any other exotic. The 
time required to bring it into a sweet state will be 
about four weeks. Three or four turnings will be 
necessary ; and during the operations of turning, let 



129 



the middle of the heap be turned outside, and vice 
versa, this treatment will bring it into a fit state for 
the purpose of growing pine apples, and it must not 
be used until it has undergone that length of time in 
its preparation, and has acquired a black, decaying 
state. If white and mouldy, it must be well watered, 
and left a few weeks longer until its moist decay is 
established. If leaves are used in place of tan, they 
will require about the same time and attention to 
turnings to bring them into a sweet state ; they 
should also be in a moderately moist state, viz., 
between the two extremes of wet and dry. {Mills on 
Pine Apple, 50). 

The pine apple plant succeeds best when the heat 
in the tan or leaves is so strong as to admit of the 
pots containing their roots being plunged into it 
only a few inches, say half their depth ; at which 
depth the heat should be bewteen 90 and 100 degs.*; 
and in this heat, supposing it to be moist and sweet, 
the plants will make great progress if well rooted, 
and if not, they will make roots very rapidly if in 
their growing season, viz., from February to the end 
of October. When the pit has been filled with fresh 
plants about six or eight weeks, the tan will probably 
have become somewhat dry within about a foot of its 

* This heat will not raise the temperature of the soil in the 
pots to more than from 80 to 85 degs. 

K 



130 



surface ; which will be readily ascertained by with- 
drawing the watchstick. This is a stick thrust into 
the tan, which, on being removed and grasped in the 
hand, where it had been immersed, will readily give 
the state of heat aud moisture with sufficient accu- 
racy. If the bed should be found dry, the plants 
should be taken out of it immediately, and the tan 
should be soaked with water, sufficient to make it 
quite moist. 

Bark should not be very large or small ; as the 
first is apt to heat too violently, and the other soon 
becomes mere vegetable mould, and ceases to ferment. 
It should be moderately dried before it is put into the 
pit, otherwise it will cake and heat too much ; it should 
also be turned over, and lightly shaken up, in order 
to bring it to a proper temperature. Previously to 
plunging the plants, it is necessary to screen all the 
bark in the beds annually, that the fine parts may be 
separated from the coarser, the latter being still fit for 
use ; for if new bark be added to old that is much 
decayed, without screening, it will not be sufficiently 
porous enough, and will therefore burn. When the 
old tan is screened, that part of it which is fit for use 
again should be spread of an equal thickness all over 
the pit ; then bring in a sufficient quantity of new tan 
to raise the bed to its proper height, which should 
be full three feet thick ; and with a fork stir up the 
bark from the bottom of the pit, mixing the new and 



131 



old well together ; which, if properly performed, will 
continue a moderate heat for four or five months. 
The best season to screen the bark is in the month of 
September ; for the beds will be put into a good con- 
dition for the winter. When these beds begin to 
decline in heat, some new bark should be added, to 
renew it again. Many gardeners place their new tan 
in the beds in layers, and plunge the plants in old 
bark on the top of the new ; but this method cannot 
promote the welfare of the plants so much as when 
the bark is screened, and the new and old mixed well 
together ; for the fermentation is not so moist when 
the pots are plunged in all old bark ; and when it is 
all new at the bottom, the roots are apt to be burnt 
by the bark heating too violently. {Giles on Ananas, 
8.) 

Mr. Dall, gardener to the Earl of Hardwicke, at 
Wimpole, uses, and recommends, for the more safe 
and expeditious manner of filling tan round the pots 
that are partly plunged into the bark-bed, as here 
stated, a pipe or funnel made of sheet-iron ; the 
mouth that receives the tan is 15 inches, and the 
lower end four and a half inches diameter, with two 
handles fixed to it, so that the operator easily holds 
it while a lad is filling in the bark from a flower-pot. 
(Hort. Soc* Trans, vii.) 

Oak Leaves are often employed as a substitute for 
tanner's bark in the pine stove. In districts where 
k 2 



132 



the oak abounds they are cheaper than bark, and, if 
properly managed, they yield heat more permanently. 
After being raked into heaps, the leaves should 
immediately be carried to some place near the hot- 
house, where they must lie to couch, there to be 
fenced round with hurdles, or any thing else, to keep 
them from being blown about the garden in windy 
weather. In this place tread them well, and water 
them in case they happen to have been brought in 
dry. Make the heap six or seven feet in thickness, 
covering it over with old mats, or tarpaulin, to pre- 
vent the upper leaves from being blown away. In 
a few days the heap will come to a strong heat. Let 
them remain in the heap for five or six weeks, by 
which time they are properly prepared for the hot- 
house. In getting them into the pine pits, if they 
appear dry, water them again, treading them in 
layers exceedingly well till the pits are quite full. 
Then cover the whole with tan to the thickness of 
two inches, and tread thoroughly till the surface be- 
come smooth and even. On this place the pine pots, 
in the manner they are to stand, beginning with the 
middle row first, and filling up the spaces between the 
pots with tan. In like manner proceed to the next row 
till the whole be finished ; and this operation is per- 
formed in the same manner as when tan only is used. 
After this, the leaves require no farther trouble the 
whole season through, as they will retain a constant 



133 



and regular heat for twelve months, without either 
stirring or turning. (Speechley on the Pine Apple, 
304.) 

Surface covering for the tan, or leaves, is desirable 
not only to preserve them in a more regular state of 
moisture, but for neatness. A covering of sand, three 
inches deep, excludes insects from harbouring in the 
bed, but moss has the best appearance. 



END OF VOLUME I. 



WINCHESTER : 
H. WO OLD RIDGE, PRINTER, HIGH-STREET. 



JULY 1st, 

Will be Published the Concluding Volume on 

THE PINE APPLE: 



AUGUST 1st, 
THE DAHLIA AND THE STRAWBERRY. 

BY THE EDITOR ; 

Aided by J. TURNER, Florist, Chalvey : and W. REID, Head Gardener 
at Noblethorpe Hall. 



THE 



GARDENER'S MONTHLY VOLUME. 

EDITED BY GEORGE W. JOHNSON, ESQ. 

Author of " The Dictionary of Modern Gardening " " The 
Gardener's Almanack," 8fc, 
AIDED BY SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICAL GARDENERS. 
No work on Gardening exists containing within its pages ail 
the information relative to each object of the art that the mo- 
dern progress of knowledge has elicited. This is no fault of 
the authors, who have gathered together masses of horticultural 
knowledge. 

To remedy this admitted deficiency, the series of " The Gar- 
dener's Monthly Volume" has been undertaken. Each 
volume will be devoted to one or more plants cultivated by the 
gardener ; and will combine all that is useful to be known of 
each connected with its history, chemical and botanical quali- 
ties, modes of culture, uses, diseases, parasitical marauders, and 
any other relative information ; richly illustrated wherever illus- 
trations will be of utility. 

Each volume being of itself a book, purchasers may select 
only such as may suit their wants ; whilst those who take the 
entire series will possess the most ample store of horticultural 
knowledge that has ever appeared in a collected form. 

A volume, bound in cloth, price half -a- crown, will appear 
on the 1st of every month ; and, at the same time, to suit the 
convenience of purchasers, in half- volumes, with stitched 
covers, price one shilling each. 

The volumes already published are — 

Jan. 1.— THE POTATO; ITS CULTURE, USES, AND HISTORY. 
By the Editor. 

Feb. 1.— THE CUCUMBER AND THE GOOSEBERRY ; THEIR 
CULTURE, USES, AND HISTORY. By the Editor. 

March 1. — THE VINE (Out-door Culture, &c.) By the Editor 
and R. Errington, Gardener to Sir P. Egerton, Bart. 

April 1.— THE VINE (In-door Culture, &c.) By the same. 

May 1. — THE AURICULA; Its Culture, &c. By the Editor, and 
J. Slater, Florist, Manchester. THE ASPARAGUS ; Its Cul- 
ture, &c. By the Editor and R. Errington, Gardener to Sir P. 
Egerton, Bart. Each complete in Half a Volume. 

June 1. — THE PINE APPLE. Vol.1. By the Editor, and James 
Barnes, Gardener to Lady Rolle, Bicton, Devonshire. 

LONDON: R. BALDWIN, Paternoster Row. DUBLIN: 
W. and G. ROBERTSON. WINCHESTER: H. 
WOOLDRIDGE. 



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